CPS strike updates
Tuesday, Oct 29, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Yesterday…
At a time when union leaders claim another $38 million could end the teachers strike, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s 2020 budget requires the Chicago Public Schools to reimburse the city for $60 million in pension contributions previously covered by City Hall. […]
[The mayor’s budget overview] states: “In 2020, an additional $60 million is expected from Chicago Public Schools to cover a portion of its share of the city’s annual contribution to the Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund.”
For years, City Hall has covered the school system’s annual contribution to the largest of four city employee pension funds. […]
And, according to a Chicago Teachers Union official, Lightfoot also wants CPS to repay the city for $33 million in security costs, although the city says that’s not a new demand this year.
* This morning…
Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union met at the bargaining table for nearly 16 hours Monday with talks ending around 2:00 a.m. with no resolution.
* Late this morning…
At a City Hall press conference, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the union’s bargaining team “continues to move the goalposts and bring in more issues that do not belong in any collective bargaining contract” by introducing issues that don’t belong in a contract and demanding a reduction in class time for students.
The union wants her to support a bill for an elected school board in Springfield that she opposed and changes to the state law that restricts what issues CTU can strike over, Lightfoot said.
As a mayoral candidate, Lightfoot promised to support an elected school board but she has opposed a bill supported by the union that would create a board that’s too large.“
Are we really keeping our kids out of class unless I agree to support the CTU’s full political agenda wholesale?” Lightfoot said. “If the CTU wants a deal, there’s a deal to be had, right now, on the table.”
* Early this afternoon…
The Chicago Teachers Union has called in its House of Delegates for a key meeting Tuesday evening to discuss the state of negotiations with Chicago Public Schools.
The meeting will bring the union’s 800-plus school-level delegates up to date on the latest talks and could set the stage for either a vote on the school district’s current offer or another meeting in the next day or two for the governing body to end the now nine-day strike.
The delegates are set to meet at 6 p.m. at the CTU’s Near West Side headquarters.
* A few minutes ago…
- Birdseed - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:26 pm:
=== demanding a reduction in class time for students ===
It’s all about the students and their education. /s
- Ok - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:28 pm:
Have one more day until teachers have to start going out to find healthcare coverage on their own.
Teachers have missed 5% of the school year with the strike. That’s 5% of pay potentially. (Four grand per teacher)
That’s close to $100 million that the district has saved on teacher costs because of the strike.
Over next 5 years, that’s $20 million a year of you spread it out.
That’s half the gap!
- njt - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:33 pm:
Anecdotal, but the protests were a packed house this morning. Coming in from Wicker, 6 corners intersection was shut down by well over 500 folks.
- Dybalaton - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:33 pm:
The mayor is doing the right thing by not budging on the unions demands.
- Just Sayin' - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:34 pm:
The City agrees to pay the $38 million needed to cover what CTU wants and CPS agrees to pay back the $22 million in pensions paid by the City over a 30 year period. Pass on the security costs. Strike over, kids being educated again.
- YourMove - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:34 pm:
Don’t budge, Mayor Lightfoot. Enough is enough.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:35 pm:
=== The mayor is doing the right thing by not budging on the unions demands.===
That thinking, the mayor owns the strike.
I’ve seen this movie before…
“…doing the right thing by not budging… .“
You allowed the mayor to own it. Congratulations.
- JB13 - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:40 pm:
– “Are we really keeping our kids out of class unless I agree to support the CTU’s full political agenda wholesale?” Lightfoot said. –
It’s modern progressivism, Mayor. Support everything we want, or you are THE ENEMY. Keep up, please.
But yes, all about the children.
- Donnie Elgin - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:40 pm:
Teachers must be so proud./s
Early application period for college bound kids is Nov 1st. Without guidance counselor approval and teacher letters of recommendations thousands of CPS students will miss out on millions of dollars of scholarships that go to the early applicants.
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:45 pm:
CTU doesn’t want an elected school board - they want an elected school board they are certain they can control. Remember once CPS had to run radio ads to find enough people to fill local school councils.
- Skeptic - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:49 pm:
“Don’t budge, Mayor Lightfoot. Enough is enough.” Is that you, Bruce? I thought you were in Italy?
- Just Another Anon - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:53 pm:
As a republican, its strange to say this, but @Lake County Democrat is right. The CTU doesn’t want an elected school board, they want a school board — THEY– elect. Strikes will be a thing of the past, because the CTU will spend a fortune on school board elections and will own the commissioners lock, stock and barrel, and who will rubber stamp their demands.
- Steve - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:55 pm:
- lake county democrat -
If Chicago gets a fully elected Chicago board , there’s a good chance CTU will control the entire board (especially if CTU members are forced to live in the city). Self-interested special interest groups have big motivations.
- Dybalaton - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:57 pm:
Interesting, because the protests are very lightly attended further north. Maybe they are targeting Wicker Park?
- Chicagonk - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:58 pm:
S/O is in the CTU. Rank-and-file are starting to turn on CTU leadership.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:59 pm:
so the CTU is cool with the City tax fund paying for costs that should be paid by the CPS tax fund. granted, every taxpayer in Chicago pays those taxes. but, still. truth in costs.
- YourMove - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:02 pm:
oooo you’re clever, Skeptic. Take you all day to come up w that? I wish I had that collapsible spine of yours.
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:05 pm:
Steve - agreed, though I’m not opposed to a school board per-se. Give the president of the elected board (also elected on a citywide ballot) veto power and hold that position for election every 4 years and at least you have some accountability. I also agree with the mayor the number of council spots should be relatively small.
- DuPage Moderate - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:05 pm:
Always a winning strategy - to picket and disrupt the business of people and companies that have nothing to do with the strike.
GMAB
- OneMan - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:09 pm:
I think the CTU is underestimating the odds of getting an anti-tax and anti spending school board IMHO.
Not going to be that hard to run on a “your taxes are too high” platform in the city
- Ok - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:14 pm:
Its curious to me… but I don’t see the CTU getting half of what it asked for if there was an elected school board separated from the mayor. All those calls for CPS to pony up money, and the CPS board just says “we don’t have any, and we can’t get money from the city anymore”
- The Big Salad - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:22 pm:
COBRA might kick in as early as…Friday? Will have to start talking about that 16% salary increase in real and nominal terms, and not just because of inflation.
Ouch.
- Just Me - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:30 pm:
Ok - the union wants an elected school board so they can fund the campaigns of the candidates, and then the school board will enact property tax increases every year to fund union goodies.
- CPS Parent - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:32 pm:
Assume for the moment CTU’s version of the facts are true. CPS has offered 375m in new salary and benefits (on top of quite high existing salary and benefits) equating 16% raises. CTU says it “only” needs 38m to cover these non-salary demands. If they are that important, why not agree to, say, a 14% raise which would free up more than enough cash and still be far above COLA the last 5 years?
CTU claims to be democratic but is really autocratic. Why not take options like these back to the membership and see what they think?
Also, I don’t understand CTU’s outrage today at the Mayor’s refusal to support the current elected school board bill. Lightfoot was one of the last candidates to develop her education policy, which was, for the first time, fully fleshed out during the run-off by a lengthy WBEZ interview. In that interview, she spent probably 20min discussing exactly why she could never support the current bill. CTU claiming she’s not living up to her campaign promises on this point is simply ill-informed (which I doubt) or purposefully disingenuous (leaning towards that).
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:34 pm:
===CTU claims to be democratic but is really autocratic. Why not take options like these back to the membership and see what they think?===
Members elected leaders. Members voted to strike. Leaders are negotiating. Members will eventually vote to end the strike. Don’t see how that is autocratic.
- Sue - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:40 pm:
Oswego- CTU decided to strike the night Lightfoot got elected. To say the mayor owns the strike ignores Sharkey’s comments the day after the election which were totally hostile and antagonist towards Lightfoot. Once the CTU members lose health insurance will see how much longer these fools stay on strike claiming they are out for equity and social justice
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:42 pm:
- Sue -
Reading is fundamental.
=== === The mayor is doing the right thing by not budging on the unions demands.===
That thinking, the mayor owns the strike.
I’ve seen this movie before…
“…doing the right thing by not budging… .“
You allowed the mayor to own it. Congratulations.===
You really-read that… then get back to your thought.
- CPS Parent - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:42 pm:
Rich, I think it is autocratic because the leadership dictates what the vote on and when. Giving people one option at the time of your choosing is no choice. Open voting at/above 95% of total body membership in any context should give people cause for concern. That’s just not how democratic bodies typically function.
I know lots of teachers who wish there were more regular (and confidential) voting. Voting to strike should not be blank check for leadership to determine when it is over.
- Skeptic - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:20 pm:
“I wish I had that collapsible spine of yours.” Snark isn’t very effective when it makes no sense.
- Dybalaton - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:56 pm:
The Tribune has a photo of CTU marching in Lincoln Yards? Why would they do that? It’s a vacant wasteland.
- CPS Mom - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:09 pm:
If staffing and class sizes are so important to CTU and if “it’s really not about the money”, then take a reduction in the wage offer and settle this. It’s time to accept the city has no more money. Whether or not Mayor Lightfoot “owns” the strike, it’s refreshing to see an elected official who has the courage to be accountable to taxpayers.
- Too much - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:30 pm:
CPS Mom- please don’t use the *T* word. It triggers one of the most vocal and annoying poster here to explain everyone including aliens from far away galaxies are equal *T*s
- Stuntman Bob's Brother - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:37 pm:
==CTU decided to strike the night Lightfoot got elected==
Sue, your knee-jerk, right wing stance is easily apparent due to your support of the gay, African American, Mayor of Chicago.
It’s like we’re living in Bizzaro World, LOL.
- Chicagoteacher - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:42 pm:
It’s great to read comments from people who have absolutely no experience in the schools, either as students or staff. It’s an impossible job and the Union generally is limited to the negotiation period of the CBA to truly exert some influence in the system. 9 or 15 days of cancelled school is unfortunate, but the cost of not addressing CTU’s issues is even greater.
- Dybalaton - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:48 pm:
I have experience in CPS. My kids all go there. CTU needs to understand a lot of families do not support them.
- @misterjayem - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:52 pm:
“It triggers one of the most vocal and annoying poster here to explain everyone… are equal *T*s”
And the reason you find it annoying is he’s right every time.
– MrJM
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:56 pm:
(Humbly tips cap to - @misterjayem -)
We indeed are… all taxpayers.
=== an elected official who has the courage to be accountable to taxpayers===
Wait till the budget stuff starts… lots of accountability to have courage about then too.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 5:23 pm:
- Too much -
Now I know why it bothers you…
=== everyone including aliens from far away galaxies are equal *T*s===
Your “E.T.” Strawmen are still… strawmen.
I’d be bothered too.
- Low level - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 5:29 pm:
Civil disobedience in front of Sterling Bay. Because letting Lincoln Yards stay undeveloped makes sense for the long term economic prospects of the city and teachers in the future / s
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 6:30 pm:
All about the children some say? What does that mean? Does it mean working for nothing? What about doctors? Isn’t it all about helping the patient? Why should we allow medical professionals to make money off of people who are sick?
- It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 6:51 pm:
The snark around “It’s all about the kids” is intellectually-lazy, low-hanging fruit. I served one year in CPS last year as a high school teacher in one of their top magnets, and even there no librarian nor a nurse nor a psychiatrist was available every day. I taught without textbooks. I had a class of 38 students. I lost a student to a shooting as part of a gang initiation. We had a social worker available twice a week.
At what point will you all who fire out the snark decide to pony up and work in a school, let alone a CPS school?
Seriously, the rhetoric is plentiful on both sides of this debate. Rise above.
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 7:51 pm:
I hope this is not an admission that public education is not a failed experiment.
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 7:52 pm:
Is a …..failed
..
- Dybalaton - Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 7:22 am:
Starting salary for a CPS teacher is $53k plus top notch constitutionally protected benefits and 10 months of work. It is very difficult to get rid of bad teachers in CPS due to the union.
The median household income in Chicago is $51k.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 7:35 am:
=== 10 months of work.===
Then you should be a teacher. Why aren’t you?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 7:52 am:
=== It is very difficult to get rid of bad teachers in CPS due to the union.===
If you’re not a teacher or a CPS administrator, what do you base this on?
- City Zen - Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 8:34 am:
==Then you should be a teacher. Why aren’t you?==
Taxpayers are not teachers.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 8:35 am:
=== ==Then you should be a teacher. Why aren’t you?==
Taxpayers are not teachers.===
… and yet *all* teachers are taxpayers.
Ok, that’s done today, lol
- 17% Solution - Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 10:08 am:
== I lost a student to a shooting as part of a gang initiation. We had a social worker available twice a week.==
And that’s part of the money puzzle. We “don’t have enough money for schools” but we have enough money for murders. If the social workers can prevent even a fraction of the kids from committing violent crimes that is saving real money.
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130513/bridgeport/top-cop-each-murder-costs-city-5-million-every-shooting-costs-1-million/