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Illinois Education Association
PI Original
by Jon Graef
3:43pm
Tue Oct 16, 2012

Undecided Voters On The Minds Of Candidates In Tight 13th Congressional District Race

Election 2012

In Illinois’ 13th Congressional District Race, one of the closest in the state, a recent poll of 400 likely voters found Republican Rodney Davis and Democrat David Gill to be one percentage point apart, just weeks before the November 6 election. We offer a closer look at the race.

Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
6:58pm
Thu Sep 13, 2012

Forum On Women In The Workplace Highlights Role Of Unions In Fight For Fair Employment Practices

Unions have been crucial in helping women get rights, better pay and benefits in the workplace, panelists at a forum in Waukegan stressed Wednesday evening.

With a backdrop of teacher strikes in Chicago and Lake Forest, this forum focused not on endorsing candidates for office, but on dispelling "ignorance" too often associated with unions, according to an organizer with the pro-union group Industrial Workers of the World.

“We are in the fight for our life,” said Helen Ramirez-Odell, a panelist at the forum who worked nearly 44 years as a Chicago Public Schools nurse and is now a CTU district supervisor. “It’s taken a lot to get teachers to this point.”

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Quick Hit
by Josh Kalven
9:23am
Wed Mar 17, 2010
1 comment

Think Pink

In an effort to raise awareness about the potential cuts to education if the state doesn't raise new revenue, the Illinois Education Association is urging its 133,000 members to wear pink this Friday -- symbolizing the thousands of "pink slips" that may land on teachers' desks in the coming months.  From union president Ken Swanson:

“These layoffs not only are a tragedy for the employees and their families, but they are devastating to education quality in Illinois.  It would mean bigger class sizes and the elimination of key programs, such as arts, language and sports,” Swanson said.

“Mass layoffs will delay Illinois’ economic recovery for years.  By wearing pink, we’re sending an SOS to House Speaker Michael Madigan and House Minority Leader Tom Cross and telling them to put the people first, Save our Schools and Save our State.”