Mar 21, 20232 min read

Chicago College & University Unions Endorse Brandon Johnson

Endorsements come from unions at Columbia College, UIC, University of Illinois Chicago, Loyola, and City Colleges of Chicago

CHICAGO – In a joint statement, unions representing college faculty and staff across the City of Chicago endorse Brandon Johnson in the April 4 runoff election.

"As faculty members in the field of higher education, we are honored to work with Chicago’s brightest students, artists, and scholars. We understand the potential of our city because we see it firsthand – but we see how our communities continue to struggle.

"That’s why we endorse Brandon Johnson’s candidacy for Mayor of Chicago. In a political climate increasingly defined by austerity and authoritarianism, Johnson has shown that he can work with Chicagoans across the board to effect meaningful change, realizing major investments in education, healthcare, green jobs, housing, and violence prevention.

"To those in labor organizing, Johnson is well known. He began his career as a teacher in our city’s public schools and continued as an organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union, where he built racially and politically diverse alliances to push back against years of corporate privatization and teach-to-test pedagogies. His vision is a beacon for unions across the city that we can – and must – expand our platform to call attention to systemic inequity and organize for the common good.

"We agree with Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery: “As a dedicated public servant raising his children in the Austin community, Brandon knows firsthand the urgency of this moment. He understands the need for equitable policies that benefit not only the wealthy downtown areas, but the backbone of Chicago – neighborhoods like Austin, Englewood, and Little Village – which have consistently been deprived of resources.”