Working people have lost a champion and TDU has lost a friend. We mourn the passing of Karen Lewis whose activism helped transform the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and changed teacher unionism forever.

Karen addressed the TDU Convention after the historic Chicago Teachers strike victory in 2012. Lewis told activists how TDU served as an inspiration to her and other Chicago teachers who formed their own rank-and-file caucus and won power in the CTU.

The rank-and-file organizing and strikes led by Karen and other CTU activists led teachers to form a national rank-and-file caucus, reform other local unions, and spark a national Red for Ed strike wave by teachers and other school workers.

Karen Lewis stood for rank-and-file power and united action by workers and the communities that we come from to stand up to corporate power.

When we fight together, we win!