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* Mayor Rahm Emanuel claims there are just two unresolved issues in the first Chicago teachers strike in 25 years…

Although union officials say more topics are still being debated, the mayor said the two remaining stumbling blocks involve re-hiring laid off teachers from schools that get shut down or shaken up and a new teacher evaluation process that the union says puts far too much weight on student test scores.

* But…

Progress had been made over the weekend regarding teacher pay, but not enough on teacher evaluations, job security or classroom conditions to entice union members to sign a contract, [Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis] said.

“We do not intend to sign an agreement until all matters of our contract are addressed,” Lewis said. “We are committed to staying at the table.”

The school board’s last offer included a three percent raise the first year and two percent raises the next three years — a slight increase from an earlier offer of two percent raises in each of the next four years.

The package, which would cost $400 million, keeps increases for experience and credentials with some modifications.

Vitale said the contract amounted to a 16 percent raise over four years for the average teacher when factoring other increases. And the raises could not be rescinded for lack of funds — which is what happened this past school year, angering teachers and helping to set the stage for Monday’s strike. […]

CTU officials contend that CPS’ offer of raises over the next four years does not fairly compensate them for the 4 percent raise they lost this past school year and the longer and “harder” school year they will face this school year, with the introduction of a tougher new curriculum.

The union also has pushed for improved working conditions, such as smaller class sizes, more libraries, air-conditioned schools, and more social workers and counselors to address the increasing needs of students surrounded by violence — all big-ticket items. CPS officials contend they are seeking a “fair” contract, with raises for teachers, but are limited by funding and the threat of a $1 billion deficit at the end of this school year.

* Our quote of the day is from the Tribune’s constantly updated strike page…

[CTU delegate Darryl Reed] said he always knew there would be a strike. “If you go back to legislation last year making it harder for us to strike, they bragged that we’d never reach that threshold. The attitude they had this whole time gave us the attitude we have had this whole time.”

* And here’s another passage that isn’t a quote, but ranks right up there…

Sending Emanuel into negotiations to broker a last-minute deal wasn’t an option because there was so much bad blood between him and Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, several sources said.

* I’ll be adjusting this ScribbleLive feed throughout the day and week as new hashtags and sites pop up. BlackBerry users click here. Everybody else can just watch..

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:20 am

Comments

What is the purpose of the Chicago Transit Authority providing “free rides” to CPS students while their teachers are on strike? I do not follow why this is being done or how it is helpful.

Comment by Esquire Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:28 am
–Sending Emanuel into negotiations to broker a last-minute deal wasn’t an option because there was so much bad blood between him and Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, several sources said.–

Maybe someone should go down to McCormick Place and see if Jim Reilly is available.

If I remember correctly, during the last strike, Mayor Washington bailed to China for an “official trip.” Big Jim sent Reilly to conduct shuttle diplomacy between the two sides and hammer out a deal.

I hope this is worth it to the CTU. The next step the GA could take is simply banning strikes by public employee unions.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:29 am
It always amazes me how some are stunned when the people they bully stand up for themselves and say “No!”

Comment by Wensicia Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:34 am
Way to go Rahm. The drudge report can’t decide how to cover this story lol. Should the focus be on the “greedy” teachers or Chicago’s Democratic mayor and obama’s buddy? You made your bed Rahm now lay in it. what a failure of leadership

Comment by dang Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:34 am
This is going to be fascinating to watch. You have a union head standing up to Rahm. If Rahm caves, it will affect all other negotiations with the other unions, including the FOP and firemen (albeit they cannot strike.)

Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:37 am
In this case it is not clear who the bully is.

Not sure the general public is on the side of labor in this case.

Comment by Plutocrat03 Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:39 am
Agreed with Plutocrat03. There’s a general sense of support for the teachers as people and as professionals, but 4% annual raises in this economy? Improvements in job security? This isn’t the right time to ask taxpayers to fund this.

But maybe it will cause people to be a little less smug about their abilities to destroy unions.

Comment by Lakeview Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:41 am
Over the summer, I was invited to a picnic. Many of the folks in attendance were CPS teachers or employees. I was merely a guest and did not join in their conversations. I just listened.

Listening to their conversations, it seemed as if a strike was inevitable — this was about two and half months before the start of the school year. There was a great deal of bad blood between the CTU and the mayor, according to the people present, and it sounded to me like everyone expected that a strike was a near certainty.

Now, it has come to pass.

Comment by Esquire Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:42 am
People with college degrees (and some courage to go these places) and looking for work should sign up to be subs during this mess. Put out an ad Rahm. Take applications; get expedited approvals. Get those kids in school learning and off the streets.

Comment by Southern Peggy R Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:47 am
As a guy who was brought up in an era when 3 months strikes were common, I don’t think that
this strike is necessary. It hurts the kids and
the strikers have no idea how badly they will
suffer.

It just proves once again the certain jobs
should not be allowed to strike.
Government employees have the best of both worlds.

This strike cost’s the taxpayers a ton of money,
the teacher’s could still be working while the
union and CPS were bargaining.
Hire a comedian as your leader and this is the result.

Comment by mokenavince Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:52 am
As noted, not sure this is a good environment in which to be calling a strike. I suspect this will turn out to be a bad PR move for the CTU, and bad for many downtrodden kids in Chicago.

Comment by Ray del Camino Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:53 am
The 4% is an average according to Vitale. He said 3% the first year and 2% thereafter. The teachers lost 4% last year. As for job security, the CPS is planning on closing 100 schools in the next 5 years. A union is supposed to protect their members in the event of a layoff.

Another issue that gets totally ignored in all this, but not by Ben Joravsky at the Chicago Reader, is TIF. TIF siphons off property tax $$ from the CPS.

Rahm is a huge disappointment. I will never vote for him again.

Comment by Emily Booth Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:56 am
Why open yourself up to public scrutiny when your position is much better than most others in the state?

I don’t think a lot of people stuck in their jobs or those who can’t find work are going to be that sympathetic to people complaining about wages and work environment when the average salary of a Chicago teacher is $70+k while having some of the worst performance nationwide.

Comment by Doing it for the Children Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:57 am
There are over 20,000 CPS teachers - http://www.cps.edu/about_cps/at-a- glance/pages/stats_and_facts.aspx - so simply hiring replacement teachers doesn’t seem a likely possibility.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:57 am
could someone post how many days and hours Chicago Teachers work per year. What is the breakdown of their hourly wage?

Comment by SO IL M Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:06 am
Putting too much weight into student test scores do not make much sense. Since there is so much correlation between poverty and test scores, why don’t we just start judging teachers based on the parents income?

Comment by Ahoy! Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:10 am
SO IL M…

It isn’t really an easy piece of math, since it would vary greatly by teacher.

Regardless of your political viewpoint, it would be agreed that some teachers work many hours outside of class time, prep time, grading, etc. and there are many teachers who don’t do much work outside of class time (classes without homework, classes where the lesson plans do not change much year to year)

So even using the 71K average, you have teachers making 30 and hour, some making likely 40 an hour and some making 12 an hour.

Comment by OneMan Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:12 am
To be fair, in terms of criticizing the teachers, it has to be acknowledged that some of the teachers of the Chicago Public Schools are tasked with trying to educate some of the most disadvantaged and impoverished students from broken homes. While there are several elite schools in the CPS, it is not necessarily a fair comparison to point to suburban or downstate school districts.

Comment by Esquire Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:13 am
*could someone post how many days and hours Chicago Teachers work per year. What is the breakdown of their hourly wage?*

You make it sound like they just clock in and out. Teachers are putting a lot of hours in - at night, on weekends, in the summer. You are oversimplifying in a way that is not constructive.

Comment by Montrose Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:15 am
RRW: I hope that there is a spillover effect…I hope other Dem pols who have disrespected union members after they gave up raises, contributed more to health insurance/pensions are paying attention. A contract is a contract. Just because economic times are difficult doesn’t give the powerful the right to renege on the deal. These are middle class people protecting their quality of life in a system that is extremely difficult in which to be effective. I do feel for the kids and parents. They should direct their comments to Rahm, who set this scenario in motion a long time ago.
Power to the people, in this case, the teachers.

Comment by Loop Lady Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:19 am
One Man—Thanks. I really dont have a side in this. But, I agree with some of the earlier posts that CTU may not get the support of people who work an average of 261 days per year for a lot less money.

Comment by SO IL M Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:22 am
Montrose—-Not oversimplifying anything, just asking a question for comparison.

Comment by SO IL M Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:24 am
I hope everyone remembers that this strike is brought to you by the Illinois Democratic Party. It was the Democrats that watered down the reforms passed in the early 90s that allowed Chicago teachers to strike.

All this does is put into play some serious consideration of Wisconsin-style reforms prohibiting all public workers from striking.

Comment by Downstate Illinois Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:25 am
The strike is not about salary.
The strike is about political power.
Salary is what Emanuel is feeding the press.
The strike is about CPS closing schools and firing all the teachers in that school.
The teachers are never hired anywhere else because they make more money than rookies.
The strike is about absolute power for the principals to fire the older / higher paid teachers and hire cheaper rookie teachers.
The strike is about the average principal salary almost twice the average teacher salary.
The stike is about political hacks making millions running charter schools.

Emanuel can join Quinn at the Commerce Club.

Comment by gg Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:27 am
–It was the Democrats that watered down the reforms passed in the early 90s that allowed Chicago teachers to strike.–

Not sure what you mean there. Chicago teachers struck in 1985. Teachers unions around the state have gone out on strike as long as I can remember.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:31 am
“You make it sound like they just clock in and out. Teachers are putting a lot of hours in - at night, on weekends, in the summer. You are oversimplifying in a way that is not constructive.”

With all due respect, can you name a college-educated professional who doesn’t take work home??

Comment by Confused Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:33 am
-What is the breakdown of their hourly wage?-

That is a hard question to answer because average salary also accounts for teachers how teach summer school, so they work more hours.

However, the average” is about 180 days a year, not including vacation, sick or personal time. If you give the teachers a generous 10 hour workday to make up for out of classroom work and effort then:

180×10=1,800

$71,000/1,800= $39.44 average hourly salary.

Take that however you want.

Comment by Doing it for the Children Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:34 am
This strike is about spite. I watched the Mayor last night. He said he wants two things that are apparently sticking points for CTU: teacher evaluations and allowing principals to hire teachers (as opposed to using seniority or letting the CPS send teachers into schools). Neither of those is unreasonable and neither is something to strike over.

Evaluation is tricky because you want a fair process that takes poverty and non-school issues into account, not simply test scores. But accountability is coming regardless of what happens in Chicago. The teachers will probably get a better evaluation system under Mayor Emanuel than they will once the federal government inevitably gets involved.

And allowing principals, and only principals, to hire teachers is a no brainer. They are the only executives accountable for a school’s performance. I can’t believe this is the line in the sand CTU laid down.

The teachers made their point. Now they need to get back to work, roll up their sleeves and help draft a fair evaluation system. And they should grab onto the 16% raise like a drowning man grabs onto a life preserver.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:37 am
*With all due respect, can you name a college-educated professional who doesn’t take work home??*

Nope, which is why I am not for breaking down their salary like that either.

Comment by Montrose Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:38 am
I am a big supporter of the longer school day, but the way Rahm went about it was wrong. Then he pushed through legislation raising the bar to strike to a very difficult level to reach. After that he kept disrespecting the teachers and attacking them. Hard to blame them for striking he broke the contract last year by canceling their raises and kept pushing and pushing. Rahm caused this strike his leadership style is dictatorial. He will never be more than mayor of Chicago.

Comment by Fed up Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:39 am
This is Onion-esque: those who responsible for one of the worst school systems in the country striking for more money. The basic truth: it’s not about the kids…it never has been.

Comment by Walter Sobchak Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:40 am
Don’t lawyers bill for their hours whether they’re in the office or not? How much do they get paid relative to teachers?

Comment by Wensicia Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:41 am
@ 47

I my opinion. The strike is about union busting.

If 10 to 20 percent of the teachers get fired every year with school closings, the union is finished.

You keep bringing up salary.

The strike is not about salary.

Comment by gg Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:43 am
“Everyone else is overpaid, you are underpaid” — My grandfather.

It isn’t about just the money.

It is about the hiring and firing thing and that at the end of the day, since most folks now work in non-union workplaces and virtually all college educated ‘professionals’ outside of government work in non-union environments these are hard concerns for them to wrap their brains around in a way.

I work at a place where I can be let go because they can hire someone ‘less expensive’ without it being age discrimination they can get rid of me for virtually any reason they want. That is the way most of the world works now, take it or leave it, it is the reality.

Also most of us have either had a teacher or two (or more) who to be blunt, shouldn’t have been teaching. Also some of us have children who have had teachers who were in roles they should not have been in (classroom teacher, coach, etc).

Does not mean they are bad people, but they shouldn’t be teaching because they are not very good at it, so we in part understand the desire to get rid of under-performing teachers.

Most of us have likely worked with someone who should not been in the jobs they were in. Some of us work in places where those folks get shown the door.

However a union exists in part to protect the jobs of it’s members, so anything that makes it easier to remove a member from their job is something the union is logically against.

As for having a boss who can determine your fate who makes more than you, again this is how most people work in the world. The higher you are up in the management chain, the more you make. So again, this complaint falls on unsympathetic ears in many cases.

Comment by OneMan Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:47 am
There are arguments against the CTU, but “They make more than others who are struggling today, they should just buck it up” is not a good one.

I think it becomes a race to the bottom. Let’s just gut everyone’s income security, pension, health care, etc. Then at the end of the day, someone will still be (relatively) better off, so we can then grump that they have it “better,” and go through another round of cutbacks.

The truth is that better union benefits, at least historically to an extent, have -improved- the average working conditions of non-unionized employees. Five-day work week, anyone?

Granted it is complicated and of course you can go too far - whether this particular set of union benefits is “too far,” I don’t claim to know. But, “They need to suffer since everyone else is suffering” is self-defeating.

Comment by ZC Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:47 am
gg,

You’re right, it’s not about salary. But it’s only about union busting if the union has priorities other than improving the quality of teachers in Chicago schools. If they stand in the way of improvement, teachers’ unions don’t deserve to survive.

If protecting seniority is more important than improving the quality of education, the unions are fighting a losing battle.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:49 am
== Don’t lawyers bill for their hours whether they’re in the office or not? How much do they get paid relative to teachers? ==

Depends greatly on the lawyer and where…

http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/what_americas_lawyers_earn/

If you work for the right firm and are at the top of your game you can make huge amounts of money (you are also a partner and can lose money)

On average according to this site, it isn’t that much different than a teacher.

http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/what_americas_lawyers_earn/

Again, Chicago skews a bit higher because of large firms. There are a host of attorney’s making 70k a year if they are lucky doing real estate closings and the occasional DUI.

Part of the variation is also due to the fact that a firm can pay an attorney more if they are good (product revenue) or have a specialty (again producing revenue) that is in demand.

Comment by OneMan Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:55 am
47,

So everyone over the age of 50 should just bow out gracefully?

There seems to be a lot of that going around in both the government and private sector.

As the Who say “I hope I die before my time.”

If your 47, you have 3 years left. Enjoy it!

Comment by gg Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:00 pm
gg, where did I say that?

I said we need a fair evaluation system. I said senority shouldn’t be the only basis for promotion and job placement. If a good teacher is really a good teacher, age shouldn’t matter. But until the union becomes a partner is creating a fair evaluation system, we’ll never know if one teacher is better than another.

Nice straw man argument though. If that’s all you’ve got to defend seniority over quality, your position really is a loser.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:04 pm
CHIPOLCON, I hope you enjoyed your first ten minutes on the blog because you are now banned. Adios.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:11 pm
47,

Nice try. Do the math. The principal gets a budget for her school. Say 100 beans. She gets x number of students and x number of teachers.
She cannot afford to pay the teachers that have more senority. She cannot afford to hire the teachers from the closed schools. They have the scarlet letter.
Do you really think that all of the teachers from the closed schools were poor teachers and had no connections in the system?

The current system has also killed mobility between the schools.

This is simply a math equation.
If you want to stay a Pricipal, you need to do Rahms bidding and hire rookies and break the union.

It is a math question.

Comment by gg Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:12 pm
– Public opinion doesn’t factor into the union decision making process, nor should it.–

I doubt that you’re right, but if you are, that would be a terrible mistake.

Without public support, they could get rolled by the General Assembly and governor. A majority vote and the stroke of a pen could set the parameters for their next contract, including whether or not they will continue to have a legal right to strike.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:16 pm
Really gg, Rahm did all of that in the last 8 months? Wow…

Comment by OneMan Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:16 pm
one man,

You are correct … the situation has been evolving over years. But Rahm sure knows how to push the buttons.

Comment by gg Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:19 pm
Teacher deserve much more than they are given. People complaining about teachers have no idea what it takes or is required to prepare the foundations for tomorrow. In stead point fingers at greedy administrators, CEOs, and politicians that take all they can get and do little to contribute to society.
I’m 100% behind the teachers, CTU, and other other public sector employees; all being made out to be the bad guys. SOLIDARITY for all public sector labor, and by the way where is the middle class?

Comment by BMAN Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:20 pm
gg, I live in Chicago. I want good schools so I don’t have to leave the city when my kids are ready for school.

If the union wants to be a partner in improving the schools, I’d sure like their thoughts on what a fair and accurate evaluation system looks like. If they don’t want to be evaluated, I understand that too. It’s human nature. Nobody wants to be told they aren’t doing a good job.

Right now, we’re flying blind because we don’t know who is a good teacher and who isn’t, which forces principals to make the crude X number of teachers for X number of students instead of a more sophisticated process of deciding how to meet the needs at a particular school.

Why are you so opposed to evaluating teachers? Do you think they are all equally talented and interchangeable? The unions have a done a pretty good job of protecting some bad teachers. Taxpayers and education advocates don’t think that’s cutting it anymore.

Change is coming whether CTU is on the bus or not. My advice is for them to adapt to a new environment, just like the UAW adapted to the new reality in Detroit. I’m not anti-union at all. I’m pro-education.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:23 pm
– Public opinion doesn’t factor into the union decision making process, nor should it.–

For public employees, public opinion should most definitely factor in, because public employees work for the public. Rahm does’t pay the teachers; the taxpayers do.

Comment by Lakeview Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:24 pm
The teachers unions have picked a great time to go on strike. The weather is still good and we have an election coming in November. Whether you like her or hate her: Karen Lewis is no dummy. Chicago, you want a union town: you’ve got it.

Comment by Steve Bartin Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:25 pm
BMAN — lots of folks deserve more than they are given, but that isn’t the way life works.

Yes, it would be lovely if we paid everyone according to their social value to society, but we don’t and we never have. It isn’t the way our system works, there was a nation that tried it and it didn’t work out so well for them.

Comment by OneMan Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:28 pm
Mayor Emanuel lying? I’m shocked.

What teacher evaluation methods have been used in other places?

It seems sorta obvious that if an organization is going to have a respected and effective performance evaluation process, it needs managers who are competent, respected and effective.

How is CPS evaluating its administrators?

Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:33 pm
I’m a life long Democrat. And I think the CTU is crazy to being drawing a line in the sand over issues of performance accountability. CRAZY.

Wrong on policy, wrong on politics. Hold the line Rahm.

Comment by ILPundit Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:46 pm
I like One Man’s grandfather.

This strike seemed inevitable when the mayor came in with the “it’s my way or the highway attitude” and the teachers union balked.

Ending the strike is going to be hard because of the egos of the leaders involved. While there are legitimate and critical financial issues, coming to a solution requires compromise by reasonable people.

Wordslinger raises an important question as to whether the strike will accomplish it’s purpose or result in further restrictions on union rights.

This is a consideration that AFSCME must be seriously debating right now. A strike is an essential tool in the union arsenal, but it is one that has serious financial and political ramifications. For public sector unions, especially in light of the current political environment, the response to a strike could be additional restrictions on their rights. With more Democrats, formerly guaranteed friends, supporting hostile actions toward the unions, the unions must be cautious in this use of that tool.

The egos in Chicago resulted in the belief that a strike is CTU’s only option.

I don’t know how this will end. But it will be an interesting watch. I’m also waiting to see how AFSCME deals with its strategic decision when state contract negotiations continue to drag on.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:49 pm
==It was the Democrats that watered down the reforms passed in the early 90s that allowed Chicago teachers to strike.==

The most recent ed reform bill made it more difficult for the Chicago teachers to strike, not less.

CPS and CTU have been headed toward this strike since Lewis and then Rahm were elected to their positions. Unfortunately, they each of something to prove: that each has more power than the other. I hope cooler heads will prevail, but that seems unlikely.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:57 pm
I did see AFSCME (and SEIU) marching with the teachers. There was parent taking her kids to one of schools who said she supported the teachers. I watched Karen Lewises speach about the serious social problems that need adressing that are far more than teachers can solve. Those problems are not just in Chicago.
I would not mind seeing more about the Normal teacher who tackled the school shooter Friday

Comment by western illinois Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 12:58 pm
Confused at 11:33 am: Thank you! Teachers are hardly the only salaried professionals who put in 12-16 hours a day, sometimes frequently, sometimes seldom. Oh, and weekends to get a job done or troubleshoot. And we do it over 12 months a year.

Robert the Bruce. Yes, I understand, but Rahm et al ought to have a plan to educate and get in school as many kids as possible.

Comment by Southern Peggy R Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 1:07 pm
This has way more relevance to police & fire than AFSCME. Holdfirm on those financials Rahm!

Comment by Original Rambler Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 1:24 pm
Rahm looks and sounds rattled today and the messaging on the city -side is not going very well. Too bad because I think CPS’ positions are more justified.

In any event, what will the contract mean in the face of a circa 800 million dollar deficit next year?

Comment by Carlos S. Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 2:31 pm
Mr. Nyberg NAILED it, its like having apprentice co-ordinators over seeing programs never having worked with the tools of the trade, but they are hacks of business managers or management wanting evaluators that are lemmings !!its not about the money, its about proper instruction for the kids.

Comment by railrat Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 3:49 pm
Politics, like chess, is a game of mistakes.

No one plays a perfect game, but you win by:

1) Avoiding fatal mistakes;
2) Limiting your mistakes;
3) Creating opportunities for your opponent to make mistakes.

CTU made some big mistakes in their opening game, but they weren’t fatal.

Rahm, the Tribune editorial board, and his other allies made the mistake of thinking the mistakes WERE fatal, and rushed through the middle game to get to the end game.

They traded pieces throughout the middle game, but gave up position while they were doing it. More importantly, by forcing the tempo of the game, they eliminated any opportunity for the CTU to make mistakes. You create opportunities for your opponent to make mistakes by giving them choices, not by giving them no choice or an ultimatum.

Despite attempt to fit Brizzard for the jacket to wear this one, this is the Mayor’s strike. He might even be right that this is a strike of “choice” not “necessity,” but it was a choice between paying back the Mayor for every insult, every slight, every harsh word and…well, something else.

Given that “choice,” a strike was indeed inevitable. Rank-and-file teachers are so angry at the Mayor that the only way a strike would have been avoided is if Rahm had spent last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday apologizing profusely to teachers.

Without out that, any deal that CTU leadership could have taken back to members would have been soundly rejected.

I think, atleast I hope, that by the end of the week the mayor will offer an apology of sorts, cooler heads will prevail, and teachers will be back in the classroom next Monday.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 3:57 pm
Just a Chicago taxpayer with no kids in school but Rahms performance has left a lot to be desired.

Two press conferences in two days and all that’s stood out was two times giving some pointless anecdote about kids in Estonia writing computer code.

I just can’t believe what was going through Rahms head if negotiations were going that badly that he spent all that time at the dnc and lining up a role with obamas superpac last week. It only makes sense to me if Rahm wanted this strike and/or is just a bad mayor. Gives me a new appreciation for Richie Daleys herding cats ability I guess.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 3:57 pm
YDD. Something tells me Rahm is not the type of guy to apologize and let cooler heads prevail. It is unfortunate. Great observation on the mayor trying to make Brizard wear the jacket for the strike. Those article last week were shameless about how Brizard’s job might be in jeopardy.. hmmm. wonder who planted those? **cough**the mayor**cough cough. You wear the jacket for this one, mr. mayor. you and your education reform buddies. Call Edelman, he will know what to do. LOL.

Comment by b Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 4:18 pm
CPS used all its cash reserves to make this years budget. CPS will be at least $400 million short next year. CTU needs to strengthen its contract before taxpayers realize how much is needed. Rahm needs a strike he can claim is about the quality of education. Add the egos and you have a match made in hell.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 4:28 pm
===Rank-and-file teachers are so angry at the Mayor that the only way a strike would have been avoided is if Rahm had spent last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday apologizing profusely to teachers.

Without out that, any deal that CTU leadership could have taken back to members would have been soundly rejected.===

Rejected out of spite or because of actual contract-related issues? I’d like to think CTU would rise above petty name-calling and insults and keep its eye on what’s truly important.

An apology is all they want? Wow. A couple of hundred thousand kids and their families are being held hostage because the Mayor said mean things about CTU and they won’t come back until he apologizes?

That sounds pretty childish to me.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 4:28 pm
The “bee hive” in education policy that nobody should ever disturb isn’t taxpayers, other unions, or politicians. It’s parents. The ‘85 strike was the straw that broke the camel’s back for many Chicago parents, and you can draw a direct causal line from that strike to many of the “Chicago School Reforms” that followed in the late ’80’s into the middle ’90’s. That generation of parents no longer has kids in the CPS. It’ll be interesting to see the parental reaction to this strike. Will it just agitate the bees or smash the hive? Angry bees won’t much care who’s to blame.

Comment by Sarge Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 4:51 pm
Massive teacher’s rally blocking loop streets for both pedestrians and vehicle traffic at rush hour. Just a terrible decision by the union and terrible optics.

Comment by Responsa Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 5:16 pm
If you were a teacher, would you want your job to be dependent on the standardized test scores of kids from broken homes? The teachers are being made the scapegoat for long-standing societal ills that our politicians are unable to address, and are scared to even discuss. Did one speaker at last week’s Democratic Convention (never mind the Republican Convention) even dare to utter the word “poverty” . . .

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 5:32 pm
@Anonymous, Nobody talks about the poor anymore until they show up on test scores and used as political fodder against the CTU. Chicago has some of the best schools in Illinois but the Board of Ed doesn’t want you to know it.

Comment by Emily Booth Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 5:50 pm
I thought everyone and their sister knew that the way to catch bees is with honey, not vinegar! All teachers ever get is whining—whether from students, parents or the population at large. How would you like to be blasted every day in the almighty Tribune, Sun-Times, and every other paper….telling you (how do they know about anyone in particular?) that you are doing a terrible, terrible job? (silk purse, sow’s ear?) I guess when all you do is rag on someone, maybe you shouldn’t expect positive feelings and love to go all around. If this is such a citical job that teachers do (and, of course it is!), why keep the bashing going and escalate it to even higher levels? Has anyone ever heard of a collaborative effort of support from home along with school? In every classroom in America, there are not only students, but parents who thwart positive efforts from teachers/administration. It’s really amazing that people actually DO this job! And if anyone thinks it’s such a piece of cake, sign up today!

As far as Rahm goes, he is one angry man. Appears to not want to have to stoop to dealing with this himself. Let the peons do it. I can see this going on for a while. People can only be diminshed and disrespected so much. Funny how important those teachers got overnight, isn’t it?

Comment by geronimo Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 6:06 pm
==With all due respect, can you name a college-educated professional who doesn’t take work home?? ==

Me. I stopped taking work home when the State decided merit comp employees should be paid less than the union employees they supervise. You get what you pay for, and if you want better teachers, you’re going to have to pay for them.

Comment by Anon Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 6:51 pm
Rich and others in the media….
First, I’m left of center but no lefty as my vote for Kirk and would have voted for Dillard over Quinn but I couldn’t pull the lever for Brady.
Second, I don’t hate or dislike unions — there’s a lot of good they do.
However, I read the average teacher salary is at 71,000 a year. I read they’ve received 2% raises every year the past 5. I read they’ll get a 16% raise (with longer school days) over the next 4 years.
Are unions — and Romney too — aware the average American is making 10% less than 4 years ago? That an additional 10 million have lost their jobs since then? That we literally cannot afford ANY raise? I’m not in support of the union members losing a quarter of their salary or anything like that but this is just crazy. Just crazy. It’s like the unions and the right wing haven’t realized we’ve gone through the worst economic crisis in 80 years, haven’t recovered yet, and the both of them act like it’s no big deal.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 7:28 pm
I have a family full of master’s degreed professionals who almost never take work home (some never do) all making more than highest paid teachers with comparable educational credentials, several making double that(at age 30). So, really? Truly, if it’s such a gold mine, leave your jobs and teach!

Comment by geronimo Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 7:31 pm
Rahm’s just the latest Cook County D trying to hose the working stiff. Quinn, then MJM, now Lisa Madigan too. Thousands of teachers downtown today, what a show. I wonder if they realize they’re carrying the ball for a whole bunch of State employees too.

This ain’t your grandfathers democratic party. Stand up and fight the bad guys.

Comment by park Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 9:01 pm
@Anonymous 7:28 -

Where was your outrage when the top brass at CPS were given 30% raises? In a SINGLE year?

Did you really think the bosses could give themselves raises, and the workers on the front lines wouldn’t expect one too?

Did you think the teachers would just ignore the fact that charter schools were getting an additional $70 million?

I, like Geronimo, think that all those who argue that school teachers are overpaid and underworked ought to be polishing off their resumes, quitting their current jobs, and applying to teach at CPS.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 10:23 pm
=== That sounds pretty childish to me. ===

47th Ward:

Actually, that’s pretty much how adults behave.

Imagine your boss spent the last 18 months trashing you to the press and in campaign ads. Not “petty name calling and insults,” as you put it, but a long-term political and public relations campaign involving hundreds of thousands of dollars and thousands of man hours targeted at destroying your reputation.

Then he send some middle manager to meet with you and ask you to “take one for the team” because the company’s financials are upside down.

Now multiply that by thousands of employees, who’ve spent the last several months being publicly humiliated in a concerted effort to destroy the reputation of their profession. The boss has turned on them, the editorial boards have trashed them, they are being eviscerated by third party groups and trashed on the internet. And through it all, the only thing they’ve had is each other.

Oh yeah, and to add insult to injury, your boss gave top brass at the company 30 percent raises, and he handed the raise he promised you last year to his buddies.

Under those conditions, most adults are going to expect an apology, and they are going to expect it from the guy who spent the last 18 months trashing them, not some intermediary. And they are going to expect it to be just as public as all of the insults he hurled at their profession.

Ten year olds have much less complicated ways of resolving things.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:07 pm
Thanks YDD,

I just finished reading American Icon, a bio of Alan Mulally and his turnaround of Ford, part of which entailed major negotiations with the UAW. Mulally and the UAW reached agreement before the auto industry collapsed and it involved major concessions on both sides. That agreement saved Ford as a going concern, and unlike its Detroit competitors, Ford didn’t need a federal bailout and never filed for bankruptcy.

According to Bryce Hoffman’s reporting, the UAW realized if it didn’t come to the table on retiree health care, Ford would be going out of business or would move its production to Mexico. There was no third way, and either way the UAW was going to lose a lot of jobs. You can call that an assault on collective bargaining rights or you can call that dealing with reality.

It’s a good read, and it reminds me that CTU and CPS can find common ground if they work together and focus on improving quality. Right now, the union seems like its ducking any accountability for quality, which admittedly is difficult to measure. Mulally succeeded at Ford, in part, because he believed in data, which the auto industry has reams of. And so does CPS.

Both sides, CPS and CTU, need to focus on quality. If it helps, think of Catholic schools as Toyota and charter schools as Hyundai. The bottom line is that CPS is losing market share already and Chicago is losing customers.

Speaking of 30% raises for a handful of the leadership team, one of the reasons Mulally didn’t take any of the federal bailout was because then he’d have to give up his salary and bonuses and instead work for $1.

I don’t know how best to evaluate teachers or anyone else, but I do know we need to use more data to make decisions, like which teacher should be promoted. And in the case of CPS, we have a lot of data.

How hard can this be? If I was a great teacher, I’d want to be recognized for it, I’d want to be evaluated against my peers. Competition makes this country great and it can make the labor movement great again too.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Sep 10, 12 @ 11:50 pm
Thanks 47th Ward,

As you point out, Mulally negotiated WITH the UAW, not via press conferences…with the understanding that his interests, the UAW’s interests, and the company’s interests were all intertwined.

From Day One, Rahm’s approach has been that he knows what’s best for kids and the teachers are motivated purely by selfishness.

I agree with you that the only way to transform the system is for all parties - teachers, administrators, the Mayor and aldermen, parents, students and the taxpayers - is to work together as a team to solve the common problem.

But the problem with your analogy is that students’ minds are not cars and education is not a good, it is a service.

You can build the best car in the world, but put an 18 year old who is legally drunk at midday behind the wheel and bad things are gonna happen, even in Highland Park.

And while we have reams upon reams of data, the data is useless for measuring teacher performance, because it measures student performance. And its debatable whether it actually measures that, “approximates” is actually a better word. But what the data certainly doesn’t allow you to do is make even an approximation of longitudinal student improvement, because the test scores are normalized every year, and only tell you how an individual student performed compared to his peers on the test in a given year, not how he compared to himself a year ago.

You ask “How hard can this be?” The answer is: its so hard that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been working on an objective measure for teacher performance for three years and still hasn’t produced a final report (as far as I know).

Which brings us full circle to another great business tome: Good to Great, by Jim Collins.

As Collins notes, the key to building a great organization is getting the right people on the bus in the right seats, and then getting the heck out of their way…not leaning over their shoulders to double check their work every hour.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 2:06 am
71,000 a year. And you didn’t respond to my problems with the union. The average American income has gone DOWN 10 percent. Where are we — the taxpayers — going to come up with the money? Because the value of houses have dropped by 30 percent since 2006. Again, it’s a 40 hour a week job because Chicago has the least amount of teachable hours in the country. Two months off during the summer. $71,000.00 a year. American dollars. We can’t afford it.

And no, I completely disagree with any and every public service employee getting any raise the last 4 years. Big shots, police, fire, etc. Okay? Listen to Bill Clinton: it’s the math.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 7:20 pm