The Weekly Roundup | 4/4/25

IFT
Apr 4
3 min read

What a week! There is never a dull moment in Washington D.C. these days, and lots of things happened right here in Illinois that you need to know about.

We will continue to monitor developments that affect our members and will share regular updates, what your unions and legislators are doing in response, and how you can join the fight to protect our students, schools, and professions.

THREE ITEMS ON OUR RADAR

Union-Busting, Plain and Simple

Adding to his long list of illegal actions, President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week that illegally strips federal workers of their collective bargaining rights under the guise of national security concerns. In response, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) issued a statement condemning the move, saying “This illegal executive order, ripped from the pages of Project 2025, is blatant retaliation for federal workers standing up to Elon Musk’s chaos and harm on behalf of all Americans.” The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), which represents 150,000 federal employees, filed a lawsuit on Monday to block the order, arguing it would deny hundreds of thousands of workers their right to collectively bargain with government agencies. And the AFL-CIO said, “If President Trump can cancel hundreds of thousands of union contracts with the stroke of a pen, no union contract in America is safe—and freedom for anyone to join a union, no matter where you work or where you live, is under attack.” Some Republicans are urging the president to reverse course too.

Trump’s illegal orders to eliminate critical federal programs and drastically reduce staff are having widespread negative impact, including here in Illinois. From the reduction in staff and services in libraries and museums across Illinois, to the elimination of federal mediation services that help union and management reach agreement in difficult negotiations, to potentially dangerous weather impacts in the Midwest’s “Tornado Alley” this spring because of reduced staffing at the National Weather Service and much more, the president’s reckless actions will hurt workers and our communities.

We must speak out! The Protect America’s Workforce Act was introduced in Congress this week to nullify Trump’s order to eliminate collective bargaining for federal workers. Click here to call or dial 844-896-5059 now to demand that your lawmakers pass the bill and stop the president’s illegal power grab.

Wisconsin Voters Reject Musk's Millions

April 1 was Election Day across the country, including in many municipalities here in Illinois. In what some experts are calling a litmus test for the 2026 and 2028 elections, Democrats won big in some key statewide races. In Wisconsin, despite the $25 million Elon Musk poured into the most expensive state supreme court race in history, Democratic Judge Susan Crawford stunned Republicans by winning a seat and maintaining the court’s liberal majority and allowing unions to continue to work towards regaining collective bargaining rights that were lost under former governor Scott Walker. The Wisconsin win was just one example of how voters across the country are choosing real solutions over the scare tactics being peddled by Musk, Trump, and their supporters.

Statewide, IFT local unions helped candidates win big victories in school board races. In the Chicago suburbs, our members helped to secure wins in Proviso D 209, Harlem, Elgin and Palatine-Schaumburg, where Jane Russell, a retired teacher, former IFT Secretary-Treasurer, and longtime leader of the West Suburban Teachers Union (Local 571) easily won her race. In Central Illinois our members were key to a big win in Champaign Unit 4. And in the Metro East, IFT locals played a role in the election win in Belle Valley. We thank our members who helped secure these meaningful victories for students and our local communities. Working together in our unions, we are an unstoppable force!

Trump Revokes $77 Million in Federal Dollars for Illinois Students and Threatens Title I Funding

In another attack on public education, the Trump administration issued a decision to take back funds from Illinois schools, reversing the U.S. Department of Education’s prior approval of Illinois’ request for a liquidation extension on federal pandemic relief funds. The decision revokes approval for Illinois grantees to spend $77.25 million in remaining federal pandemic relief funds that have already been obligated to support Illinois’ highest-need students. The president’s callous action is forcing school districts to reconsider whether they can provide essential services.

On Thursday, Trump doubled down on his attacks by threatening to take away federal funding from schools that “illegally” promote diversity, equity, and inclusion under the administration’s controversial interpretation of civil rights law. Federal funding accounts for about 10% of funding for schools on average, but a much larger share in high-need districts. AFT President Randi Weingarten responded.