In the first communications to IEA members after the election, IEA President Cinda Klickna began her evaluation of our electoral efforts with an attack on the “naysayers (who) called our involvement in the primary’s ‘a fool errand’ and suggested it was a waste of time.” She referred to “those folks who root for our union to fail.”
Who was she referring to?
Certainly if she meant our political opponents such as Bruce Rauner, she would have mentioned them by name.
No. What she did was join in with past IEA Presidents Bob Haisman and Ken Swanson in attacking me and other IEA activists who did not ago along with spending $3.1 million dollars in supporting the candidate from the American Legislative Exchange Council or in calling him a friend of teachers.
Can it be true that we wanted the union to fail? Fail at what? The protection of our collective bargaining rights? The defense of our pensions?
No. We simply acted on our rights as members to disagree with leaders.
How ironic that I read Klckna’s attack on may way home on the CTA after traveling three hours back and forth to a Region 41 Council meeting to talk about recruiting this year’s retirees to our IEA Retired chapters.
Or that the the day before I spent all day as a poll watcher for IEA endorsed candidate for State Representative Will Guzzardi. I had spent the previous seven months writing, raising money, making phone calls and canvassing to elect a progressive pro-pension, pro-public schools, pro-union, pro-fair tax candidate- defeating an incumbent who had the full backing of Michael Madigan. And facing down his thugs.
I want the IEA to fail?
No.
I want the IEA to win.
For a change.
And just because I dissent from the policies of three former and current IEA Presidents doesn’t mean I want my union to fail.
The failures of a two-tier pension system, PERA and SB7 are theirs.
They own them.
Fred Klonsky 
Rather than attacking the dissenters, she should be acknowledging the legitimacy of their right to dissent and examining those arguments honestly. There is no shame in admitting that they have misread the intent of our political opponents.
I represent an independent teacher’s association and both IEA and IFT’s actions inspire little confidence in our membership to want to affiliate.
That’s old news. Let’s focus on what we can do now. Why has the court not set a date for the pension bill.?
Rauner wins, (we) teachers lose. Re-group and move forward.
Keep in mind, the IELRA is not protected, Rauner can repeal it with 51% of both houses. If that happens he could de-unionize all teachers in Illinois with a stroke of his pen.
Actually, it not old news. It was yesterday.
Any new news on when they are going to set a court date on pension bill?
Cinda, Bob & Ken are reminiscent of the field slaves that made it up to “the big house” and are now busy telling us we are all lucky to be where we are and “….don’t pay any attention to them fools who say any different”.
Comrade Fred, SDS lives!
Come look at our headlines in Champaign-Urbana. Our struggle lives!
From your long-time comrade & brother in SDS,
Gene Vanderport
Fred, Congratulations on beating a Madigan-supported incumbent! That is Big!
Thought you’d be happy that Madigan lost here too. We have been campaigning for Carol Ammons for State Rep of 103rd HD here in Chambana Land. Her opponent was supported by Madigan to the tune of $67,000 plus paid staffer. He was also endorsed by IEA unfortunately. However our candidate was endorsed by IFT, GEO, and Chicago Teachers and SEIU and an AFSCME local. We eat the Madigoon 57%-43%! We are euphoric!
And we are so glad you beat him too–good for you!
Now on to the fall election! Our Candidates should talk!
–Germaine Light