IEA Spring Election Results
Tag: Union
Call to Action – Undo Tier 2
| 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. |
| 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! |
Check Out These Opportunities
| 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 |
| 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 |
Four Keys to Building Strong ESP Locals
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
Thank you to all who attended last nights rESPect steering meeting
Un oh…technical difficulties.
We started with a few hiccups with technology, but ended with a great meeting full of collaboration and awesome ideas shared by many! Each rESPect team (Legislative, Model Contract Language, Communications, and Organizing and Leadership Development), worked in breakout rooms to accomplish the goals of their team. It is the members and IEA staff that come together and share their voice and talents that will build this into the powerful campaign needed to bring the changes that will benefit the lives of education support professionals in Illinois.
You’re invited to attend our next meeting on February 8th
#IEArESPect #IEAESP #rESPect #NEAESP
Join our virtual rESPect meeting tomorrow
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. |
2024 Spring IEA Elections Nominations Are Now Open
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.
Happy New Years Eve!
Be safe if you plan to travel on this New Year’s Eve! I will be counting my blessings this New Year’s as I think of my family (both by blood and union siblings) and friends. So many great things are happening to support the goals of the rESPect Campaign; so much more work is left to do! I hope you will join us at our next IEA rESPect virtual meeting on Thursday, January 11th. Click for more information and to register for the upcoming rESPect meeting. Click link to register: https://www.mobilize.us/ieanea/event/592186/
Great Webinar Opportunities
FYI from: National Education Association-ESPQ
As we head into the holiday season and closer to a new year, we want to share several upcoming opportunities that will support ESPs in their personal and professional growth. Please add these events to your calendars and share them with your members and colleagues!
- ESP Community Conversations: Self-care for ESPs (NEXT WEEK!)
Wednesday, December 6, 2023, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET
Self-care is important now more than ever. Join us for a virtual networking session centered around self-care. ESPs who join the conversation will have an opportunity to share self-care tips, learn from one another, and engage in activities to guide them in their self-care practice. Register now >
- ESP Mentoring in Oregon
Thursday, December 7, 2023, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET
Learn how to take an established ESP mentoring program and make it your own, suiting the unique needs within your district. Educators from two locals will share their successes and the roadblocks they encountered in building two successful ESP mentoring programs thriving in Oregon and how you can do the same within your state. Register now >
- ESP Rights and Respect Series: How to Build a Strategic Campaign
Thursday, December 14, 2023 (Webinar en Español), 7:00-8:30 p.m. ET
Join us for this webinar, offered in Spanish, to learn how NEA members, staff, and leaders have partnered to build a strategic campaign to increase ESP visibility, rights, and respect. Note: This webinar series is only open to NEA members, staff, and leaders. See the attached flyer and share it with your Spanish-speaking members and colleagues. Register now >
- NASP PREPaRE Workshop I: School Safety and Crisis Preparedness
Saturday, January 20, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Are you interested in learning about school safety and crisis preparedness? No matter your role in our schools, it is important to understand how schools prepare, mitigate, and respond to a crisis. Join us for Workshop I of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) PREPaRE curriculum to learn more about how a comprehensive school crisis team functions and how to organize one. Each participant will receive a certificate of completion. All fees for the course and course materials will be covered by NEA. ***Space is limited, register today! Register now >
- Strengthening Family and Community Engagement for ESPs
Thursday, January 25, 2024, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET
Through NEA’s Community Schools initiative, ESPs across the country are participating in powerful family and community engagement efforts, which help students and support positive worksites. Join us to hear from ESPs and Community Schools coordinators across the country discuss lessons learned and promising practices on family and community engagement, and how these insights can empower ESPs. Register now >
See all upcoming webinars for ESPs at www.nea.org/esppdwebinars.
So we did a thing tonight…
Tonight I had the opportunity to present with amazing rESPect leaders about our #IEArESPect campaign on a national NEA webinar about the work of elevating #EducationSupportProfessionals, the essential work we do, and the changes we need for #rESPect.
IEA Education Support Professional Council 