Union Works 

Engage, Educate, Empower: The Heart of our Union
BFT Teachers' Council Vice President Thomas Gallaher shares good news with the school board and district administration.

Local 434 in Action: Celebrating Teaching, Learning, and Leadership – May 2026

May gave us countless reminders of the incredible work happening across District 201 and the impact our educators have on students every day.


This month highlighted hands-on learning, student achievement, and meaningful connections both inside and outside the classroom. Students built dog houses for community organizations, earned awards in theater, cooking, science, and athletics, explored future careers through apprenticeships and alumni connections, and participated in learning experiences that extended far beyond classroom walls.


We also celebrated the strong sense of community that exists across our schools. From Teacher Appreciation Week and Mental Health Awareness activities to the Life Skills Spring Dance and collaborative events across campuses, our staff continued creating spaces where students feel supported, valued, and inspired.


These stories reflect more than accomplishments — they reflect the dedication, creativity, and commitment of Local 434 members who go above and beyond for students every day.


Thank you to everyone who continues to share the amazing work happening in our schools. Together, we continue telling the story of the positive impact our members make each day. Take a look at May's Good News here!

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Congratulations to our newly elected executive board! This marks the first board to serve under our unified federation structure, with equal representation from all three councils. We’re proud to take this next step forward—together. Members will serve through May 2027.

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The second cohort of Local 434’s trauma-informed teaching group completed their three day training this week. The Union Response to Student Stress and Trauma focuses on how to better equip educators with  tools, knowledge, and strategies to create a supportive and safe environment for students who may have experienced trauma. The curriculum emphasizes understanding trauma and the impact it has on students’ behavior, emotional regulation, and learning, as well as how to build a safe and supportive environment that fosters resilience. There is also a focus on emotional regulation and self-care for educators.

Notes from members who attended the training:

Caleb Romoser, West Fine Arts/World Language: The Trauma-Informed training was a powerful and educational experience for me.  The information that was presented is critical for all educators who truly wish to engage their students with that difficult mix of high expectations and deep care. 

Karl Ware, West Para/Coach: Stress/Trauma training is definitely needed. Students' moods change rapidly from day to day. Our District 201 trauma/stress training enhanced our ability to understand people and transcend students' trauma. Group setting helps to show different ways to reach and teach students  . In hostile situations our training taught us options and methods to detox stress and work with students in trauma/stressful situations. We work together and research multiple ways to successfully combat stress and trauma. We learned meditating techniques to actively listen for the mind and heart of the person.  

Jacob Toenjes, West Social Studies: By recognizing strengths and promoting positive coping strategies, trauma-informed educators can help students build resilience, improving their long-term academic and personal success. Ultimately our goal is to help students be ready for the real world.  Helping them build that resilience is another way we can help them achieve success long term.   

Jennifer Lewis, West English: This training was invaluable to my teaching. It's easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day tasks of the job and forget that our students are kids who are already struggling to regulate their emotions, and when trauma is part of their daily lives, they struggle even more. Learning techniques to help my students process and focus was very helpful.

Ashley Mims, West English: I signed up for this training hoping to get some new ideas about how to hold space for my students with trauma, see them as the whole person, all while still holding them to high expectations and maintaining boundaries. This training and the time I had to process with my colleagues provided me with that and so much more. 

Shout out to Tiffany Stellhorn, Nickie Pelch, and Lannette Story who have put in the work to become trainers and led this cohort. (Another shout out to Thomas Gallaher, Christina Roedl, and Kara Schnoeker who led last semester’s cohort!) Thank you to District 201 for partnering with us and providing substitutes for our classrooms as well as lunch!
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Members from all three councils of Local 434 have been working hard this month! We’ve spent our weekends attending trainings for collective bargaining, the grievance process, and union leadership bootcamp!

Ashley Mims, Chelsea Kilzer, Tanya McGraw, Crystal Paulik attended Effective Grievance Administration
Nickie Pelch and Donna Bauman attended Bootcamp for Union Leaders
Ashley Mims, Jeff West, Shelley Watts, and Tiffany Stellhorn attended Intro to Collective Bargaining

Read below for a glimpse into one of the trainings!

Effective Grievance Administration Training: Mike Day and Ray Roskos, two IFT field service directors, led our training on essential grievance procedures for union leaders. Their expertise in contractual language, legal protections, past practices, and just cause—enhanced by real-life examples from other local unions—provided us with a comprehensive, step-by-step understanding of the entire process.

From Ashley Mims: The most impactful part of the training for me was the simulation of going through a grievance process. The trainers told us we would need to stay until four o’clock, one hour the contract time we agreed to, and the only way out was to file a grievance and win. (I love escape rooms!) Our team of 6 had to work together, following the steps in our collective bargaining agreement, and go through the entire grievance process—informal meeting, step one, step two, and arbitration. We had to fill out the forms correctly and present our case in the back-and-forth, all while both trainers played the role of a condescending, patronizing, intimidating administrator. (Whew! Hope we don’t ever have to experience that in real life.) Even though I know and respect both trainers, my body still had a visceral reaction to the way they spoke to us, but I had to put emotions aside and think strategically to win the grievance, which we did!

​From Tanya McGrew: Being newish to the way unions work, I take as many opportunities as I can to learn.  Mike and Ray did a great job.  I learned the steps for submitting a grievance and looked deeper into our contract’s steps as well.  While we focused on the actual Grievance process, we also discussed when it isn’t a grievance.  We also touched on some things that may not be mentioned in our contract that are actually covered under law.  Being put through a mock grievance process was very eye opening.  It immediately caused me to use what I had learned and delve deeper into what I may have missed in order to ask questions.  I feel more prepared to support my fellow union members after attending the ULI.
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Last week, Local 434 Secretary Ashley Mims spoke to Senator Christopher Belt (D) Rep. Katie Stuart (D), and Rep. Kevin Schmidt (R) in front of close to 200 fellow unionists about the inequities of Tier 2 and how it is harming our communities. Our most vital fields of service are feeling the effects of employee shortages, and soon communities will begin feeling those effects, too.

Did you know that teachers who worked at least 1 day before January 2011 (Tier 1) will get to retire on average 7 years earlier with more benefits? This goes for all state employees—teachers, fire fighters, state health care workers, social workers, and so many more. Tier 2 employees are doing the exact same work and giving 7 more years of their lives, only to retire with fewer benefits. Here are some of the biggest inequities:
  • Tier 1 employees get to retire as early as age 55 with 35 years of service, age 60 with 10 years of service, or 62 with 5 years of service. Tier 2 employees have to work until 67 to receive full retirement benefits. Period.
  • Tier 2 employees are paying in the same amount as Tier 1 employees, but receiving far fewer benefits.
  • Tier 1 employees receive a 3% Cost of a living increase that compounds annually. Tier 1 employees’ CoL will not be compounded.
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Be on the lookout for how to support undoing Tier 2 and restoring fair, equitable retirement benefits to the people who dedicate their careers to serving your community. Next up: day of action in Springfield on November 13!
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Ashley Mims, Thomas Gallaher, and Cyndi Oberle-Dahm attended the rally at the capitol in Springfield today to demand changes to the Tier 2 retirement system. Look at this crowd! #fixtier2 #weareone
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From Ashley Mims: It was good to feel connected to so many other Illinoisans today. Teachers, firefighters, and other public employees gathered at the capitol in Springfield to rally for changes to the inequitable and unstable Tier 2 retirement system that will affect so many. THIS is why the collective power of unions is absolutely vital.
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Belleville West had a costume contest during Homecoming Week. Three of our members had the scariest costumes of all!
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Strength in unity, power in solidarity.


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Editor:

Lannette Story
Local 434 Teachers' Council Secretary. Educator in District #201 since 2012.

Contributors:

Lucas Spriggs
Lucas Spriggs is the author of the Union Works newsletter, which includes posts in three series: "Get Organized," "Get Represented," and "Get Informed."

​Ashley Mims
Local 434 Teachers' Council President, former Secretary/PR Chair. Educator in District #201 since 2011.