Support Council of District 39 v. Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board

**What Happened** The Support Council of District 39 union wanted to include a network manager position in their bargaining unit at Wilmette School District No. 39. The school district opposed this, arguing that the network manager should be considered a "confidential employee" and therefore couldn't be part of the union. The dispute went to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB), which sided with the school district. The union then appealed this decision to the courts. **What the Court Decided** The Illinois appellate court upheld the labor board's ruling. The court agreed that the network manager position qualified as a confidential employee and must be excluded from the union's bargaining unit. This meant the network manager could not be represented by the union or participate in collective bargaining. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling clarifies that certain employees who handle sensitive information may be excluded from union representation. Workers in IT roles or similar positions that involve access to confidential data should understand they might not be eligible for union membership. This could affect their ability to collectively bargain for wages, benefits, and working conditions, potentially leaving them to negotiate individually with their employers instead.