Bill Allowing Chicago Principals To Unionize Passes Illinois House

By Andrew Hensel, The Center Square:

Legislation that would allow Chicago principals to unionize has passed through the Illinois House.

State Rep. William Davis' legislation allows Chicago principals to unionize to have more power at the bargaining table with Chicago Public Schools.

The legislation amends the Illinois School Code to make principals eligible for collective bargaining. Principals are considered "supervisors" in Illinois which does not give them the ability to collectively bargain. House Bill 5107 would change that language.

Davis, D-Homewood, explained his proposed change before the House on Tuesday.

"This would categorize principals a little differently than just simply middle management, but allows them to have a voice in the decision-making process that surrounds how they operate," Davis said.

State Rep. Steven Reick, R-Woodstock, asked to set limits on what can be bargained for if the legislation is to pass into law.

"Does this limit collective bargaining to things like work rules and that sort of thing, or are we going to be dealing with things such as compensation and benefits or exactly where are their limits?" Reick asked.

Davis said that the goal of the bill is to not limit the process at all.

"I think that is the point of this bill, where we don't try to limit what can and can't be talked about, that is for the negotiations to determine," Davis said.

The bill also includes language that would prohibit the principals from striking at any point.

Davis' bill was passed through the House by a vote of 63-35 and now could be taken up by the Illinois Senate.

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