Park Ridge District 64 teachers in Springfield fighting for the pensions promised us.
This is my first post on my iPad2.
I’m writing on the bus, heading back to Chicago following a day of lobbying in Springfield.
The IEA leadership wanted us to focus mainly on SB7 and pensions.
There was no way we would lobby for Senate Bill 7.
All the cheer leading in the world for the bill that limits our ability to strike and which ends seniority as the basis for reductions in staff could only receive a smattering of mild applause from about five hundred IEA members who had gathered for a pre-lobbying rally under a tent set up next to IEA offices.
I don’t know how many folks were here today. The IEA wanted 5,000, but I doubt it was close to that number.
While the concern about pensions is strong, lack of support among the membership for the SB7 sellout is evident by the weak turnout.
The turnout from our local was strong however.
And when a large group of us met with Senator Kotowski on the lawn in front of the statue of Stephen Douglas, the comments to the senator were sharp in tone.
Even though Kotowski pledged to vote against any change in pensions for public service workers, that was not enough for the two dozen Park Ridge teachers and parents that circled him.
“We need you to be our voice,” one teacher said.
But really we had found our own.
Fred Klonsky 