American Federation of Teachers Executive Council
Votes To Begin Investigation into CTU Election

Washington, D.C.— The AFT Executive Council voted today to begin a formal investigation into the June 11 runoff election of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), appointing a Council committee that will hold an investigatory hearing during which witnesses will present testimony and give evidence.

The hearing is set for Thursday, July 22 at 9:30 a.m. in Chicago at a location to be determined.

"The Council’s vote to appoint a committee to investigate is an important step to ensure that the rights of all rank-and-file CTU members are protected," noted Edward J. McElroy, secretary-treasurer of the AFT. "Today’s decision is not a judgment on the merits, but simply an indication that the evidence presented warrants an investigation."

The AFT Constitution sets out a specific procedure to follow in cases where there is an election-related conflict within a local union. In situations where an investigation is authorized, the AFT Constitution provides a vehicle to resolve disputes over a local affiliate union’s election. The investigation process has been used on a number of occasions to resolve local election disputes.

The request for an investigation was made by Marilyn Stewart, who challenged the decision by a CTU canvassing committee to void the June 11 election. In response to that request, the AFT received materials from both Stewart and Deborah Lynch, leading to the Executive Council decision.

The Council appointed three members to the committee. All three are AFT vice presidents. The committee is chaired by Randi Weingarten, president of the United Federation of Teachers in New York City and also includes Ted Kirsch, president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, and Lorretta Johnson, co-president of the Baltimore Teachers Union.

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