CCSD #130 Administration Bails on Bargaining, Spends Money on PR Firm Rather than Investing in Workers

Workers spoke out at last week’s Board of Education meeting, but their message appears to have fallen on deaf ears. The administration cancelled contract bargaining scheduled for September 25. This is the second out of four bargaining sessions the administration has cancelled. The union contract expired on July 1 and the administration has rejected virtually every proposal including ensuring staff are trained on lockdown and law enforcement events.

Since 2022, the administration has repeatedly retaliated against union stewards and workers, and employees have been punished for alleged violations and then terminated for those same supposed violations.

“I worked at District 130 for 19 years. Last month, I was fired for completely unjustifiable reasons,” said Maria Corona, former custodian. “The last three years have been very difficult for me, starting with Principal Mayorga, who yelled at me and disrespected me in front of my colleagues. Then they started trying to discipline us for any reason. It was harassment after harassment. The most serious thing we suffer from is the discrimination from management. That is why I am here today to ask you for justice.”

Administrators have told workers and union representatives that they are not permitted to speak any language other than English during disciplinary hearings while communicating with each other and will not allow for interpreters. They have told union representatives that they are not allowed to speak during disciplinary hearings at all.

“This month is Hispanic Heritage Month and I am a proud Hispanic. More than fifty percent of the population in Blue Island is Hispanic. Therefore, we deserve to be respected in our workplace and our community,” said Ernestina M., a custodian of 20 years. “It is not right that we are not allowed to speak Spanish. It is not right that we are discriminated against for being Hispanic and therefore, we must create a safe community for our students, for our children, and for all Blue Island workers.”

“What you’ve heard tonight is a litany of issues we encounter on a routine basis at this school district led by Colleen McKay,” said Shea Marshall, Director of School and Municipalities Division for SEIU Local 73. “We constantly run into issue where individuals in the administration, for example (Assistant Superintendent) Carrie Tisch, indicate or tell point blank to the members that they are not allowed to speak Spanish. They are not allowed to have interpreters present. Union reps, including myself, have been told by them we are not allowed to speak in their disciplinary or grievance hearings.”

“We found out today that they’ve had money to hire a public relations firm as opposed to putting that money where it needs to go. Which is back into the student population and back into their workforce to protect them, to take care of them. To make sure that these are good, fair paying, quality jobs that stay here in Blue Island,” said Marshall. “They constantly complain that they don’t have enough staff, that they can’t hire folks, but then they push people out the door without just cause. And then they hire a PR firm to say all these claims aren’t true. They’re definitively true. I have experienced them myself.” SEIU Local 73 represents 50 custodians and maintenance workers in the district. 95% of these workers are Black and Brown women and men.