The Chicago Teachers Union had an opinion on everything from immigration to rental fees during the Illinois General Assembly’s regular session. Lawmakers did what the union wanted on nearly 1-in-3 bills.
It’s not quite the halfway point in the 104th Illinois General Assembly, and the Chicago Teachers Union has already seen lawmakers do its bidding on nearly 1-in-3 bills it lobbied over.
That’s a lot of power over the people of Illinois for a special interest group from Chicago.
But lawmakers should be wary of aligning with CTU. Recent polling shows voters don’t like either the union or politicians who take CTU money.
Lawmakers did CTU’s bidding on nearly 1-in-3 bills it lobbied over
The 2025 regular session of the 104th Illinois General Assembly ran from Jan. 8 through May 31. During that time, CTU filed its official position on 20 bills.
Of those, CTU urged passage of 19 bills. Four passed both chambers and were signed by the governor:
- House Bill 3247 relates to immigration and requires school districts to develop policies that restrict law enforcement agents’ entrance to schools.
- Senate Bill 28 weakens the evaluation of teachers and principals by excluding student growth components.
- Senate Bill 212 relates to paid breaks for nursing mothers.
- Senate Bill 1799 further restricts when school districts can hire third-party non-instructional services during emergency situations.
A fifth bill passed both chambers but it included different language in the Senate than it did in the House. The separate versions were not reconciled before the legislature adjourned for the summer. As introduced, that bill would have restricted suspensions and prohibited expulsions of students in grades kindergarten through second grade, with very limited exceptions.
Lawmakers did not pass the one bill CTU opposed, which would have eased restrictions on charter schools.
Taken together, lawmakers did what CTU wanted on six of the 20 bills on which it took a position. That’s nearly 1-in-3 bills CTU lobbied over.
CTU’s lobbying affects all Illinoisans
CTU doesn’t restrict its lobbying efforts to workplace or education issues. Nor does it focus on Chicago-specific bills. Instead, its lobbying efforts extend to bills affecting Illinoisans from Rockford to Cairo.
Take HB 3247. While the enacted bill ensures all children, regardless of immigration status, can receive a free education, it also requires all districts to develop policies that could restrict when law enforcement agents can enter a school facility. It applies to all school districts throughout the state.
The union also attempted to restrict charter schools statewide. If passed, House Bill 1387 and Senate Bill 144 would have imposed additional restrictions on who could be authorized to operate a charter school and how charter schools spent their budgets.
But many bills had nothing to do with education or its union rights. For example, House Bill 2706 would have amended current law to further restrict law enforcement cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Other bills would have prohibited landlords from requiring any fees or charges before the beginning of tenancy, changed minimum wage for tipped workers or created an expensive “Workplace Extreme Temperature Safety Act.”
With CTU lobbying over a myriad of issues unrelated to its members and purpose, its success in lobbying threatens Illinoisans statewide.
Polling shows lawmakers should distance themselves from CTU
CTU is strongly disliked, even in its home city.
According to a 2025 poll, 60% of Chicago voters have an unfavorable view of the union. More than 57% are less likely to vote for a candidate if they accept campaign contributions from CTU.
CTU has a long history of telling lawmakers what to do. But people don’t like CTU, and lawmakers should be wary of doing the union’s bidding.
