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* Remember when the CTU president grumbled about Pat Quinn’s running mate?…
The Chicago Teachers Union has supported Governor Quinn in the past because of his commitment to grassroots organizing, publicly funded public education, and collective bargaining. For these reasons we are concerned about his choice of Paul Vallas as a running mate. His choice takes us in the wrong direction for public education in Chicago and Illinois.
* The union ended up endorsing Quinn, but people weren’t happy…
In perhaps the most lively debate in the Chicago Teachers Union in quite some time, the delegates voted overwhelmingly to endorse Dem. Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday at the House of Delegates first meeting of the new school year.
This strong endorsement came despite impassioned speeches to not endorse Quinn, including several members from the CTU caucus party CORE.
“You know what will happen to someone who will lick their boots,” asked delegate and CORE activist Michelle Gunderson, “they will treat you like a dog.”
But despite the pleas to not endorse a candidate who has burned the CTU, including naming anti-union extraordinaire Paul Vallas as his running mate, and just recently signing devastating pension legislation for municipal workers (look out CTU members - You’re next!), the fear of republican candidate Bruce Rauner was just too much for a house that listens carefully to what its headmistress has to say.
* Keep that in mind…
The Chicago Teachers Union claims the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board was further compromised Friday when Gov. Bruce Rauner appointed a former attorney for Chicago Public Schools.
With Lara Shayne’s appointment, three of the five members have been appointed by Rauner, who is known for his anti-union views and dislike of the Chicago Teachers Union. […]
But CTU leaders have complained recently that the board is skewed against them. CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey said the more Rauner appointments to the board, the less legitimate it is becoming.
“These appointments undermine the board,” he said.
Yeah, well, he won, didn’t he?
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 12:47 pm
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As one of our recent governors stated, “Sometimes we are forced to live in a democracy.”
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 12:53 pm
Rauner also re-appointed Lynne Sered, wife of former State Sen. Jeff Schoenberg (D). I doubt Sharkey noticed that.
Comment by North of Halsted Street Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 12:59 pm
And Judy Biggert, despite being a Republican, was endorsed by the NEA repeatedly when she was in Congress. Hardly an anti-union zealot.
Comment by so... Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:01 pm
CTU may have endorsed, but they did not get out the vote. Here we are.
Comment by State worker Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:07 pm
CTU sat back and watched this happen. Maybe now they’ll wake up to the fact that this office is just as important as the Mayor.
As to some of the appointments mentioned here… There were plenty of moderate Republicans before Rauner came in. Those days are over. You follow his lead or you are out. It doesn’t matter what someone’s past history is. Look at the decisions they’re making now. Theat board is in Rauner’s pocket. That shouldn’t be a surprise. To the victor go the spoils.
Comment by union Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:22 pm
CTU leadership tried to get out the vote, but the rank and file really despised Vallas and with good reason. Unfortunately, this Presidential election seems to mirror the gubernatorial one in so many ways.
It does seem odd and unfair to have both Andrea Waintroob and Lara Shayne go straight from representing CPS in contract negotiations with CTU to the IELRB.
Comment by Carhartt Representative Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:23 pm
Carhartt, with all due respect, you have to admit that CTU’s leaders put together a pretty lackluster effort at getting out the vote.
You also make my point that CTU has to realize that there is no “fair” when we’re talking about appointments. He won, he gets to choose. Don’t like it? Work harder to put someone else in there.
Comment by union Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:34 pm
==“These appointments undermine the board”==
I’d guess having a member of your big bargaining team referencing boot licking in a public forum undermines something as well.
Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:35 pm
–And Judy Biggert, despite being a Republican, was endorsed by the NEA repeatedly when she was in Congress. Hardly an anti-union zealot–
Wrong! You have to remember that only McCann sided with labor. Nope she’s a Raunerite.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:37 pm
Don’t these folks need to be approved by the Illinois Senate? Don’t Illinois Senate Democrats have the same right to block appointments that U.S. Senate Republicans have?
Comment by Truthteller Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:38 pm
North of Halsted, read up on Lynne Sered. There seems to be a thread of corruption and pay to play going on in many of the ILRB. Just sayin.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:42 pm
Let me echo Truthteller. The Illinois Senate has not played hardball with the Governor.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:42 pm
Elections have consequences, indeed.
I have very little sympathy for the “present” situations some Labor groups find themselves.
However, what I am very encouraged about is that Labor, all Labor, seems united, and if the can get better than 2 in 5, and vote accordingly, Labor can make this election have consequences.
Maybe.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:46 pm
State worker Pat Quinn won Chicago. As Rich pointed out in a Crain’s article of November 07, 2014: “Rauner scored just above the magic 20 percent number in Chicago.” Those voting in Chicago for Rauner were very likely not CTU members or their immediate family members, because he was their sworn enemy.
In Chicago, Rauner scored at least 9,000 more votes than Brady received in the preceding election for Governor. Where did these votes come from? The 42nd Ward, which encompasses downtown and the Near North Side, Rauner received about 50 percent of the vote compared with 48 percent for Quinn. In Lincoln Park’s 43rd Ward, Rauner and Quinn each received about 49 percent of the vote. In Ravenswood’s 47th Ward, where Mayor Rahm Emanuel lives, Rauner received 30 percent. In the 41st ward which is also 82.34 percent white Rauner got about 47 percent of the vote. With the exception of the 41th ward these higher income communities are populated more and more by the children of suburban and non-Chicago families that have zero Democratic Party loyalty. The 41st ward has had a historic Republican base that goes back many years.
The Rauner vote in the African American wards was small. In 19 Chicago wards with significant black populations, Quinn received 92 percent of the vote compared with 6 percent for Rauner. Mr. Rauner was also not particularly strong in Hispanic wards.
Low voter turnout aided Bruce Rauner in Chicago, but the CTU could not have fixed that. Pat Quinn was not an inspiring candidate for minority voters in Chicago in particular, the CTU could have not fixed that.
Comment by Rod Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 1:47 pm
Fake TruthTeller- please find an original screen name. This one is already taken. Everyone here is fully aware that I would never ask a noobie question like that one.
Comment by TruthTeller (The Real One) Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 2:48 pm
–Labor can make this election have consequences.
Maybe.–
On the tomb of Mother Jones is an ancient Greek quote of Simonedes the Spartan.
“We count it death to falter, not to die”
OW we’ll have a sense of that “maybe” this Saturday in Sauget. You’ll see our lines dressed out. Either we’ll roar like we did in Springfield or we’ll show ourselves to be disorganized and beaten. I’m probably going to catch it for saying that but I wanted to give you a heads up since you don’t live here.
Comment by honeybear Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:00 pm
It was the same issue IEA had with Vallas in 2002 leading to the endorsement of Blago. We all know how that turned out. These education Unions are shortsighted and deserve what they get
Comment by Sue Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:10 pm
=These education Unions are shortsighted and deserve what they get=
Vallas is a privatizer who got run out of Connecticut on a rail. The person who was shortsighted was the person who made him his Lt. Governor pick. Teachers supporting Vallas makes as much sense as cab drivers voting for Rahm or a company selling vaccines supporting Jill Stein.
Comment by Carhartt Representative Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:20 pm
HB, I’m not sure what you’re saying about Biggert. She should have voted with McCann? How?
Comment by steves schnorf Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:25 pm
Honeybear- take your meds. You were doing fine this morning but things seem to have taken a turn. It’s important to follow the doctors orders.
Comment by Thunder Fred Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:28 pm
This again raises the question why we even have a Lt. Governor.
Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:29 pm
Obviously I’m not explaining myself well. Thanks for your concern Thunderfred, which post didn’t you like? I hope not the one with my favorite quote. I really want a tattoo IN GREEK on my arm but I can’t find anyone to confirm the greek. My luck the first Greek reader would say “why do you have “Thank you, come again” on your arm!
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:46 pm
Capphart- yea Vallas in 02 would have been a bad move for everybody.
Comment by Sue Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 3:50 pm
- Honeybear -
While I appreciate your feedback, the Biggert thingy… She not in the GA. Hasn’t been for a while.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 4:02 pm
Oh NOW I get what you guys were talking about. Sorry I totally miscommunicated. McCann was the only Republican that I know of to side with labor. Not that she was in the legislature with McCann. I blanket statemented all Republicans. My bad. But I was trying to say that all Republicans (present company excluded) are complicit with the Raunerite takeover and agenda. I know, I know I’m over my skis. Thanks for pointing it out. I was basically trying to call Biggert a Raunerite.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 4:12 pm
Honeybear, why don’t you take a break. Everyone is painfully aware that you despise the Governor and everything associated with him. We’re also painfully aware that you’re in love with unions and everything associated with them. You’ve done all you can do here. Sit back an learn for a while. Jump back in when you have something new to offer.
Comment by Thunder Fred Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 4:37 pm
Thunder Fred
Bite me
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 4:41 pm
Although I should thank you Thunder Fred for confirming that I’m on the right track. I’m only ignored when I’m not a threat. I must be hitting something to get a “take a break”. Thanks Thunder Fred, and by the way, I keep thinking of that great funk tune by the Mighty Imperials called Thunder Chicken. Great tune.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 4:45 pm
Myth # 1: Quinn and the Dems did the bidding of organized labor and caused the mess we are in.
Myth #2: Rauner’s turnaround agenda- smash the unions- will solve the problem.
Rauner wants us to believe this because he believes it.
Trump has now admitted that Obama was born in the USA. When will Rauner own up to his big lie?
Comment by Truthteller Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 4:51 pm
Elections-have-consequences. Of course they do, or we would not have them.
Comment by My New Handle Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 7:13 pm
Vallas was probably the best gubernatorial candidate Illinois has had in the last 30 years. If the CTU dislikes him, he’s clearly good.
Comment by Ron Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 8:04 pm
Yeah a serious stretch to call Biggert a Raunerite…particularly because I believe she endorsed Dillard in ‘14. And yeah the NEA loved her, went in big for her in ‘12 when it mattered.
Comment by DuPageExpat Tuesday, Sep 20, 16 @ 8:34 pm
When you look at how the ILRB has voted against labor in cases that easily should have been a victory for instance the FOP, you’ll know why I say Biggert has gone over. The Administration is attempting to remove Health Insurance from collective bargaining for the Police union. It’s a complicated legal maneuver but the ILRB is doing exactly what Rauner wants.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Sep 21, 16 @ 8:40 am
I still stand by the quote I made during our CTU debate. Quinn lost the election through foolishness. The choice of Vallas made it almost impossible to get rank and file behind his candidacy. Elections have consequences and so do slaps in the face of important constituencies.
Comment by Michelle Gunderson Wednesday, Sep 21, 16 @ 11:59 am
The board was flipped in favor of public employee unions when Quinn was gov. Like Rich said, he won and he gets to pick who’s on the board. Maybe the public sector unions should employ and execute a better campaign strategy next time around…
Comment by shytown Wednesday, Sep 21, 16 @ 1:42 pm