CTU unveils legislative agenda at LEAD gala, Friday
Gov. Quinn to offer keynote address; Six elected officials honored
CHICAGO – The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) will honor six outstanding legislators who have been on the forefront of education and labor justice issues at its annual Legislators and Educators Appreciation Dinner (LEAD), on Friday, October 28 at 5:30 p.m. The dinner will be held at Plumbers Hall, 1340 W. Washington Blvd.
See invitation details here.
Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn will offer the keynote address. State Representative Monique D. Davis (27th District) and State Representative Esther Golar (6th District) , Alderman Robert Fioretti (2nd Ward), Alderman Deborah Graham (29th Ward, State Representative Cynthia Soto (4th District) and State Senator Iris Martinez (20th District) will receive prestigious awards for their outstanding support of teachers, public education and organized labor.
During the gala, CTU will unveil its legislative platform and draw attention to issues CPS teachers and paraprofessionals are advocating for such as smaller class sizes; ending the 20th Day Rule, used to reduce the number of teaching positions based on student attendance on the 20th day of school; and, their efforts to have taxpayers elect members to serve on the Chicago Board of Education in order to have fair representation, accountability and inclusiveness.
Teachers are also geared up to stop the assault on their pensions. For example, CTU is leading an effort in Springfield to stop House Bill 3827 designed to eliminate the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund Board of Trustees (CTPF) and give the mayor of Chicago the power to appoint four members to a new, combined seven-member pension board. The legislation proposes combining the pensions of the Chicago Police, Chicago Firefighter, Chicago Municipal, Chicago Laborers, Chicago Park District, and Chicago Teachers and as a group would then elect only three trustees.
Currently, CTPF is governed by a 12-member Board of Trustees; six are elected by the teacher contributors, three are elected by the pensioners, one is elected by the principal contributors, and two are appointed by the employer, Board of Education.
###
The Chicago Teachers Union represents 30,000 teachers and educational support personnel working in the Chicago Public Schools and, by extension, the students and families they serve. CTU, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Federation of Teachers, is the third largest teachers local in the country and the largest local union in Illinois. For more information visit CTU’s website at www.ctunet.com.
