Tag: IEA

Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

Call to Action – Undo Tier 2

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In 2010, the Illinois General Assembly hastily created a “Tier 2” of separate, lower pension benefits for public school and public university employees hired after 2011. We are asking our members to take action now to change this.

Since then, the drastically reduced benefits for “Tier 2” workers are further diminished due to inflation, meaning they can’t keep up with rising costs like grocery and drug price increases. Many education employees cannot collect Social Security, and these pension benefits are their sole source of retirement security. You can see the negative effects of Tier 2 reflected in the shortages of both educators and Education Support Professionals (ESPs) in schools and universities across the state. The shortages mean an increased workload and sometimes overwhelming working conditions for everyone working in our schools and at our colleges and universities.
This problem was created by politicians failing to pay into the retirement system, and it’s them we should be holding accountable, rather than punishing educators.  
From April 15-18, please join Illinois public employee unions in a week of action. Contact your lawmakers and tell them they must take action to fix Tier 2 pensions. You can write your lawmaker here. Or, you can dial 507-497-1665 to be connected to your legislators by phone.
ACT NOW!
This action is the first step to push legislators in Springfield to ensure that all school employees have a fair, secure retirement and we can retain essential teachers, adjuncts and higher ed staff, Education Support Professionals (ESPs) and all public school and university employees.  All educators deserve an equitable retirement. 

Stand up for your colleagues. Help us Undo Tier 2. 

Remember, we are stronger united! And together we are IEA! 
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Check Out These Opportunities

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Organizing Basics
Saturdays  |  April 20 and May 4  |  10 a.m. – 12 noon

Are you new to the concept of organizing? Want to learn how to develop the organizing skills necessary to build a strong local or motivate members to act around a specific issue? In this two-part course, we will start by learning the basic terminology of organizing, how to create an organizing statement and develop a strategy utilizing tactics that focus on a specific leadership challenge. You will also learn the leadership skills necessary to lead a successful organizing campaign. We will briefly discuss the role power and resources play when embarking on an organizing campaign. In the second session, we will work as a team, creating an organizing plan that can be implemented at the state, local or even national level.

Facilitators: Crystal Bush, UniServ Director and Lakilia Bedeau, Organizer
REGISTER NOW 
Arbitration Basics
Saturday  |  April 27  |  10 a.m. – noon

In this course you will learn the basics of arbitration – the final step in the grievance process. We will briefly touch on the grievance process, and then walk through the various steps of arbitration including the possible reasons against arbitrating a grievance. You will learn best practices for developing the case for hearing, selecting and preparing witnesses, communicating with your district’s representative and writing opening statements. We will conclude with a discussion about whether to rest your case with a closing argument or a post-hearing brief and some tips for writing each.

Facilitator: Bonnie Booth, UniServ Director – Naperville Office
REGISTER NOW
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Four Keys to Building Strong ESP Locals

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Monthly on Thursdays  |  6 – 8 p.m.
Feb. 29 | March 28 | April 25 | May 30

Are you a local leader, building representative, committee chair or member looking for ways to build membership and increase local engagement? This four-part course will provide you with the tools necessary to build local capacity. Topics covered include the role leadership style and local structure plays when developing strong locals, how to increase membership growth, engagement, development, recruitment and retention, and how to create value for your members. All participants will develop a year-round organizing plan designed to fit your local, building or committee needs. We will also look at creative strategies for increasing membership participation. The sessions will be held the fourth Thursday of each month from 6 to 8 p.m. Once you register for the first session, you will automatically be registered for the entire course. If you have any questions, please reach out to unioned@ieanea.org.

Facilitator: Crystal Bush, IEA UniServ Director – Elgin Office and Coordinator of Support & Services for ESPs

Click to register
Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association, Uncategorized

Join our virtual rESPect meeting tomorrow

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Join Us Jan. 11
5:30 – 7 p.m.

rESPect Virtual Meeting
All ESPs Welcome!

REGISTER NOW

(You will receive the Zoom link by email)

RESPECT – Raising Education Support Professionals by Elevating Careers Together is a statewide effort by ESPs, with the support of IEA staff, to improve working conditions by focusing on four areas: wages, health insurance, pensions, and retaining, recruiting, and job duties.
Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

2024 Spring IEA Elections Nominations Are Now Open

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The IEA is accepting nominations for open positions on the ESP Council and other state level positions. If you’re ready to work to bring the changes we need, apply today.

The 2024 spring elections for NEA RA state, ESP, and aspiring educator delegates, and other state level positions opened today at 8 a.m.   Nominations close at 4 p.m. on February 14th.  The link to the online nomination form is on the elections page of the website.  This information is also located on the home page as well.   Also included with the online nomination form information is a link to the spring all-member governance mailer that includes the same nomination forms found online as well as the election notice for the region NEA RA delegate elections.  Also included here is a link to the eligibility information for the retired, ESP, higher education and ethnic minority state level positions to be elected this spring.

Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

Advocating for rESPect

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On Monday, Gina Lozano, chair of the rESPect Legislative Team, myself, Jill Scarcelli, chair of the rESPect Campaign, along with Derek Stevens, IEA Government Relations met with Illinois Senator Robert Peters, chair of the Labor Committee to advocate for our members and rESPect. Gina and myself spoke to educate and inform of who education support professionals (ESPs) are, what we do, and how we are essential for student success. We spoke specifically about UI: Unemployment Insurance and raising the minimum wage for education support professionals.

Senator Robert Peters was very receptive and spoke of his own personal story of being in special education as a young child and how education support professionals supported his education. He spoke honestly and said UI will be a huge challenge. There are several public labor committee hurdles that must be overcome before a vote could be taken. We knew this would be a marathon and not a sprint and we are committed to achieving this goal. Senator Peters also spoke regarding raising the minimum wage and gave us suggestions on how to better move this bill forward.

We truly appreciate Senator Robert Peters for taking the time to meet with us and give guidance as we advocate to support ALL of our members.

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Are you ready for rESPect?

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Join us this Thursday for our September virtual meeting at 5:30-6:30.

Click to register

We know that support staff are typically the first to arrive at school as they unlock doors and turn on lights. They are some of the first people to greet students when they arrive at school in the morning, who give students the academic support they need to become successful scholars, who carefully assist with their health, safety, and nutritional needs, and are the last people who see students safely home at the end of the day. The value of their work is priceless.

So it’s time we start treating them that way! rESPect is a statewide campaign by ESPs, with the support of IEA staff, to improve working conditions by focusing on four areas: Wages, Health Insurance, Pensions, and Retention, Recruitment, and Job Duties. Join us to learn how you can help bring the change we need.

Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

So, We Did a Thing Yesterday

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What an honor to share this space with so many great union advocates! Thank you NEA President Becky Pringle for coming, listening, and collaborating with many of our rESPect leaders. We have big goals we want to achieve and together we will succeed!

Our students deserve the best quality education so they can reach their academic goals and achieve their dreams. Education support professionals are the key to their success. We support students, teachers, buildings, districts, and communities in which we live and work. Join rESPect today. https://ieanea.org/members/esp/respect/

#unionproud

#IEArESPect

#ieaesp

#neaesp

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NEA President Becky Pringle is coming to Illinois to discuss rESPect

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We are excited to announce that NEA President Becky Pringle is coming to meet and discuss the rESPect coordinated campaign with a group of amazing education support professional leaders. We are looking forward to sharing stories from our members that will explain both the struggles and successes our members are facing here in Illinois. We also will be advocating for a national call for rESPect!

Raising Education Support Professionals by Elevating Careers Together

Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

Who Makes Schools Work?

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WEMAKESCHOOLWORK.COM

What makes our schools/universities work? It’s the ESPs, the education support professionals! All of the amazing lunch and recess supervisors, custodians, maintenance, and so many more essential job categories that support our students and schools throughout each and every day.

We’ve reached 10,000 views, let’s go for 20,000. Help us share and spread the word about who ESPs are and how they make schools work.