Letter: Union and candidates

2024 is the year for Northwest Suburban Teachers union Local 1211 to face the Dist. 211 Board of Education and renew the teachers" contract. The union is again trying to pick the board they want to negotiate with. The fox is in the hen house and it's calling for reinforcements.

In 2021, Local 1211 backed a slate of three candidates: Anna Klimkowicz, Tim McGowen and Curtis Bradley. The slate was called ACT, for Anna, Curtis and Tim. Needless to say, ACT won. Why? Teachers and retired teachers follow union endorsements.

They influence family and friends to get out the vote. Other unions support them as well. The union will pay for signs and mailers and man phone banks. In 2021, the union dumped $11,000 into the ACT campaign. Because typically less than 15% of the electorate votes in a municipal election, the teachers union will install their candidates and take their spoils at the bargaining table.

The Illinois Workers" Rights Amendment gave public sector unions more power than elected officials. Union-backed school boards will decide what our children learn and how much the taxpayer will pay; and our voices will be ignored.

For 2023, Local 1211 chose Kim Cavill, Steven Rosenblum, Jane A. Russell and Michelle Barron. To disguise its involvement, the union created a webpage called "A D211 We Deserve." Scroll down to the bottom of the page and it reads "Paid for by NWSTU," which stands for Northwest Suburban Teachers union Local 1211.

On April 4, 2023, you can stop the steamrolling by the teachers union and vote for candidates who represent the interests of parents, students and taxpayers. The following candidates have demonstrated a capacity to listen. Reelect Mark Cramer and Peter Dombrowski and vote for Susan Saam and Barbara Velez. They haven't accepted a dime from the teachers union.

Pat Bernas

Schaumburg