BACKGROUND

Bill Farmer has balanced being in the classroom as a high school science teacher while serving as a proud union leader for 22 years in Evanston, IL. As local president he worked in partnership with local ESP leaders to foster greater collaboration to advance bargaining gains for everyone including lower employee health care costs and 12-weeks paid parental leave. In a post-Janus environment his local has maintained over 98% membership and continues to build an organizing culture.

Within the Illinois Education Association, he organized a massive overhaul to strengthen state legislative priorities and incorporate new sections to advance racial and social justice as chair of IEA’s Legislative Platform Committee. He also served on a broad-based team that designed and passed a more equitable state dues structure based on income.

At the national level, Bill was elected to represent his NEA Board colleagues on the NEA Budget Committee and to serve as an NEA delegate to Education International. He was appointed by the NEA President to serve on the NEA Charter School Task Force and the NEA Safe, Just and Equitable Schools Task Force to help shape NEA Policy Statements. Bill served as the NEA Sexual Orientation Gender Identity (SOGI) Committee chair for 3 years working to create and promote resources to support LGBTQ+ students and members including the Speak Up and Speak Out member organizing trainings.

Bill is committed to advocacy work to cultivate a better future for both his students and his union siblings. It’s time to ignite our potential energy to activate our full power as the largest labor union in the country!