Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Contract negotiations
As a public education employee, your union, as your exclusive bargaining representative, has the legal right to negotiate the terms of your employment. Your contract is the basis for most of your employee rights. It spells out your working hours, evaluation process, work/life benefits, job responsibilities, use of social media and school safety. Your UD supports your local representatives as they negotiate contracts representing your and ultimately your students best interests.
Contract interpretation Grievance processing Job security protection Training programs to meet local needs
Bargaining crisis preparation Retirement concerns Public relations programs development Governance matters assistance Civil rights violations process IEA/NEA benefits access Bargaining crisis preparation
Employee counseling for work-related problems Arbitration case presentations Unemployment information
Wage and hour laws Unfair labor practices Layoff and recall Retirement Fringe benefits Unemployment compensation
Education funding Negotiations Discrimination Health and safety Civil rights Contract enforcement
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A guest in an early childhood classroom falsely accused a classroom aide of slapping a child. The child had spit on the aide who, in response, raised her hand to block herself and to signal the child to stop. The aide wiped the childs chin and then took his hand to walk to the sink. The classroom teacher and another aide did not Training witness the event. The schools special education director and principal interviewed the accuser and the aide, Legal Services provides extensive training to your local who stated she did not slap the child. Still the school representatives and you. We ensure teachers under- board voted to dismiss the aide. IEA Legal Services arbitrated the case and won an award reinstating the aide stand laws governing their employment and how to steer clear of potential legal situations. When you know to her job with full back pay and benefits. your rights and responsibilities, we can often locally resolve, and even entirely avoid, costly and timeconsuming legal action. We also provide extensive training to UDs on recent education laws and how to identify potential legal issues. Your UD is prepared to evaluate any legal aspect of your work and provide guidance on your options. Get to know your legal rights. IEA offers live training sessions and education-specific legal video courses through the online learning portal, accessible through the members only link at www.ieanea.org.
YOUR IEA
The Illinois Education Association (IEA), is the states largest public education association, harnessing the collective power of more than 130,000 teachers, education support professionals, higher education faculty and staff, students and retirees. Together, we are leading educational reform in Illinois, fighting for excellent and equitable schools, working toward improved student outcomes and providing a community for all involved in education. But thats just the tip of the iceberg. Find out how IEA is representing YOUR voice, fighting for YOUR rights, supporting YOUR career and life, and protecting YOUR future.
Your IEA FOR YOUR RIGHTS Local UniServ Directors provide expertise in negotiating your contract, grievance processing, arbitrations and unemployment hearings. Legal Services has your back, protecting your employment rights and providing you $1 million of professional liability insurance. Your IEA FOR YOUR WALLET Special member benefits offset the cost of your IEA dues by providing steep group discounts on products you need, including car, home and life insurance, and up to 50 percent off of products you want, such as restaurants and clothing. Your IEA FOR YOUR CAREER The Center for Educational Innovation supports your professional development needs and empowers your local association to be a driving force in school transformation. Your IEA FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION Government relations professionals advocate for students, teachers and education support professionals, and help you elect friends of public education. Member-only communications keep you informed about the latest education reforms and initiatives. Your IEA FOR YOUR FUTURE IEA leaders and staff are vigilant in protecting your pension and retiree health care benefits.
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Illinois public education is in the midst of unprecedented organize the collective voice of college students and new teachchange. Your ability to be successful is directly connected ers statewide, working with local associations to provide supto successful negotiation and implementation of educaports to ensure their career success, such as training on: tional reforms. Leadership, Classroom management and resources, IEA stands up for the interests of teachers and students Instructional strategies, by putting CEI staff at the center of every major reform discussion. We hold seats on the: Curriculum development, and Professional responsibilities. State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to ensure requirements are appropriate and fair to teachers, IEA Student Advisory Board provides a path to education and in the best interests of students. leadership and informs IEA on up and coming educational issues. Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC), which makes recommendations for state rules and regulations OTHER RESOURCES related to the Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) of 2010. No one teacher can be an expert on everything. Thats why your IEA membership connects you to many other When its time to implement reform, your CEI staff proexternal resources to help you be effective and successful vide training and support resources on all education rein your career, including: form initiatives, including: NEA Academy Your IEA membership includes National PERA design and implementation of standardized per- Education Association (NEA) membership. The NEA Acadformance evaluation systems and tools that incorporate emy partners with several universities to offer you nearly student achievement measures, including the Illinois 50 masters degree programs with discounts of 5-20 perTeacher Evaluation Development (ITED) materials. cent on courses, fee waivers and member-only scholarships. The academy, at www.neaacademy.org, also offers Common Core State Standards implementation strate- numerous continuing education credit programs and leadership development courses. gies on new Illinois Learning Standards School Improvement resources and supports for increasing student achievement by increasing teacher effectiveness BetterLesson In partnership with the NEA, BetterLesson has created the Master Teacher Project, which provides 3,000 common core-aligned and classroom-ready lessons, created by 130 Master Teachers nationwide. Go to cc.betterlesson.com to get started.
EVERY CHILD DESERVES A GOOD EDUCATION AND EVERY TEACHER DESERVES THE SUPPORT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN
By sticking together, we can make both a reality. The teachers, education support professionals, higher education staff, students and retirees who make up the IEA form a massive and powerful alliance of professionals with one common goal: to provide the best education possible to all Illinois students. GOVERNMENT RELATIONS The voice of 130,000 IEA members rings clear in the halls of the Illinois State Capitol, where major decisions affecting your profession are made.
IEAs legislative and political efforts give you a voice in determining what your school looks like and what public education in Illinois looks like. After all, you know your students best.
Illinois Public Action Committee for Education (IPACE) IEAs political action committee IPACE ensures that when education issues are discussed at the state or local level, the voices of IEA members are heard and taken seriously. IPACE works to elect friends of public education at all levels of government. IPACE identifies legislators, statewide candidates and local school board members who share IEAs vision for public education.
Policymakers play a key role in deciding school em- For more information on IEAs legislative and politiployees salaries, health benefits and working condi- cal work, visit the Political Action tab at tions, as well as the amount of money allocated to www.ieanea.org. public schools, colleges and universities. IEAs Government Relations team works closely with state legislators, the executive branch, Illinois State Board of Education and other education advocacy organizations to influence public policy on behalf of IEA members and the students they serve. Public education is not a Republican or Democrat issue; its our issue. We believe that having relationships on both sides of the political aisle and working through differences gives us the best chance to have your concerns heard by legislators.
The combined strength of 130,000 IEA members IEA Access savers program up to 50 percent off on and NEAs 3 million education professionals make available unbeatable savings on goods and services purchases when you use your IEA membership card at more than 100,000 retail locations (go to the IEA wherever you happen to be. web site at www.ieanea.org, scroll for the memberBy taking advantage of countless discounts, you can ship card icon, enter your 10-digit member number save more money in one year than the cost of your and search for participating stores and products.) annual IEA dues. My Deals app a free app (for Apple and Android) that locates deals and coupons (because My Deals is available only to IEA/NEA members, first register your membership on IEAs website to receive your required mobile access code). MEMBER BENEFITS SAMPLING NEA financing Insurance Low-interest and reward credit cards four options NEA complimentary life insurance no-cost life and available. accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage Home financing mortgages, equity loans and lines Additional insurance supplemental life, disability, long-term care, pet, home, auto and other policies at specially negotiated rates. Discounts NEA Click & Save online savings at thousands of stores. of credit. Other loans education and personal. Visit the IEA web site, www.ieanea.org, or NEA member benefits at www.neamb.org to take advantage of all of these discounts and more.
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TOTAL SAVINGS PER YEAR IEA/NEA dues cost In-pocket savings (total savings in one year minus dues cost)
To access your IEA discounts, visit www.ieanea.org or NEA member benefits at www.neamb.com.
IEA lobbyists are working to help legislators understand the real-life impact of cost-shifting on public schools and, most importantly, on students who deserve an equitable and quality education.
SCHOOL FUNDING THREATCOST SHIFTING IEA is fighting a cost shift legislative proposal that would force local property taxpayers to pay the states share of its contribution to your pension benefits. This proposal would diminish your schools resources for such things as salaries, benefits, hiring and extracurricular activities.