| « Haitian Aftershocks in Chicago | Daley Opposes Lifting of Residency Requirement for Teachers » |
Labor & Worker Rights Mon Mar 29 2010
Federal Judge Enjoins BoE From Infringing on Union Election
Northern District of Illinois Judge Amy St. Eve has granted the request for a preliminary injunction against the Board of Education to stop them from enforcing a policy that would curb the ability of Chicago Teachers Union activists from campaigning for office in non-work areas and during non-work times in Chicago Public Schools.
Judge St. Eve's ruling was made on behalf of plaintiffs from an opposition caucus in the CTU, ProActive Chicago Teachers and School Employees (PACT). PACT is the caucus of former CTU President Debbie Lynch, who was defeated for reelection by the Unity Progressive Caucus and current President Marilyn Stewart. PACT argued that their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated by schools CEO Ron Huberman's order. The preliminary injunction states that PACT's case has a reasonable likelihood of succeeding and that the harm union activists would suffer should the injunction not be granted would be "irreparable".
Huberman's policy would naturally favor the incumbent slate of the UPC, given their control of union personnel and finances, and considering the size of the electorate (some 30,000+). Opposition slates are not given access to membership lists or significant funds to run campaigns, making opposition an uphill climb as is. Huberman's non sequitor decision, with no precedent in recent school history, sure looks like a sop to the incumbent, perhaps in reaction to the organizing opposition groups such as PACT and CORE have done against CTU acquiescence to Board of Ed policy changes.
