Happy Labor Day from the Illinois Federation of Teachers

Dear IFT Members, This Labor Day, I want to say thank you. Usually on this holiday that celebrates working people, we look back to the strides our movement has made in the past, and we look forward to the promise of the future. This year, it’s difficult to focus on more than the present. Even so, I’m proud to see the accomplishments we’ve made as a union and a movement in 2020. Our union has jumped into the work, both internal and external, to ensure we practice what we preach when it comes to racial equity. Our members have maintained strength, both personally and as part of their union, to deal with the effects of Covid-19 on our schools, students, and communities. They’ve come up with new solutions for teaching, feeding our students, providing Wi-Fi outside of the school building, and negotiating safety measures with their districts or administrations. And we’ve all stepped up to fight for Illinois to make a leap towards fairness – for working people and all Illinoisans – in our support of the Fair Tax question on the ballot this election season. As you might have heard us say before, we need to pass the Fair Tax now more than ever. It is especially important for working people because it will provide fairness to our tax system and investment in our schools and communities. And it will do so, not on our backs, but by asking the most wealthy (those making more than $250,000/year) to finally pay their fair share. Thank you for everything you’ve done this year for our students and communities. Thank you for continuing the labor movement’s fight for fairness and equity. Let’s celebrate this holiday’s spirit and keep fighting for the future we deserve with perseverance and strength. Happy Labor Day! Stay safe.

Dan Montgomery | IFT President