Charter school teachers win appeal in union fight

Teachers at the Cambridge Lakes Charter School can claim a second win in their effort to form a union at the Pingree Grove school.

A state panel ruled Thursday that the panel - the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board - has authority over the charter school.

That decision clears the way for the Illinois Education Association, the state's largest teacher's union, to represent teachers at the school.

"That's great," said Diane Petersen, UniServ director for Region 25. "That's a decision we were kind of expecting."

Petersen oversees and advises District 300 unions affiliated with the Illinois Education Association.

The organization that runs the charter school, Northern Kane Educational Corp., is expected to appeal the decision.

"It probably will be appealed," said Eileen Brennan, a board agent with the labor relations board. "They have nothing to lose by appealing it."

Northern Kane Executive Director Larry Fuhrer declined to comment on the decision Friday.

"You know we're not talking, so if you need anything, you can get it from (Northern Kane spokesman) Robert Hansen," Fuhrer said before hanging up.

Hansen did not immediately return a call seeking comment Friday morning.

The labor board's decision will not be official until early next week, Brennan said. After the decision is issued, Northern Kane will have 35 days to contest the ruling before a state appellate court, she said.

The effort to form a union at the charter school started near the beginning of this calendar year.

Teachers and union officials say Northern Kane has fired or intimidated teachers active in the union effort. Northern Kane officials have denied these allegations.

The Illinois Education Association represents more than 1,110 teachers, teacher aides and support staff in District 300.

The union is also trying to represent District 300 bus drivers but appears likely to lose out to the Teamsters, which beat the Illinois Education Association in a union election last month. The results of that election have not yet been resolved.