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* Oy…
.@KarenLewisCTU: "100%" chance of a strike after cooling off period. @CTULocal1
— Charles Thomas (@CThomasABC7) April 18, 2016
.@KarenLewisCTU: No talks during Spring break: "We need time to discuss (stalemate) among ourselves". @CTULocal1
— Charles Thomas (@CThomasABC7) April 18, 2016
.@ForrestClaypool "disappointed" with @CTULocal1 strike threat. Wants talks resumed ASAP. pic.twitter.com/1nmQayeyrM
— Charles Thomas (@CThomasABC7) April 18, 2016
.@ForrestClaypool: "Alice in Wonderland World" within @CTULocal1. @KarenLewisCTU.
— Charles Thomas (@CThomasABC7) April 18, 2016
* Sun-Times…
Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said Monday that a report by an independent fact-finder on contract negotiations was “dead on arrival” since it was essentially the same offer that the Board of Education had made and that the union had rejected.
As to what she would tell parents about the possibility of strike, Lewis said: “Be prepared.”
The proposal that Lewis had once said was a “serious offer” from the Board of Education proposed net raises over four years, the phasing out of over two years of a 7 percent pension contribution CPS has been making for members, and a return to raises for continuing education and experience for teachers as soon as next school year.
But now, Lewis said that CPS negotiators has even told them that the broke school district can no longer even afford that offer. Lewis said CTU has bargained in good faith but argued CPS has not.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 12:45 pm
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I’m sympathetic to the plight of the teachers. I am. Sincerely.
But where do they think the money for raises is going to come from? For CPS to raise the levy, the voters have to approve a referendum. Even if they could get it on the ballot in time for November, and even if it was approved, we’re looking at about a year before the cash would be in-hand.
Are they going to walk off the job for a year? Even a Springfield bail-out is at least a year away. I really don’t see a strike doing much good. I think CTU ought to accept a one-year deal and then they need to direct their considerable political muscle toward getting a referendum passed and/or a change in Springfield.
Maybe I’m missing something. Can anybody tell me what a strike accomplishes? How long do they plan to stay off the job?
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 12:54 pm
This was kind of an odd comment:
Also, Springfield angle:
Like it or not the Capitol is going to be affected by this process/outcome.
Comment by The Captain Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 12:54 pm
It will be interesting to compare the level of support last time to this time. I’m guessing the property tax increase is going to sink CTU support. The “serious offer” might have been their peak this time around.
Comment by Man with a plan Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 12:54 pm
Copy/paste fail. Bad Captain.
Comment by The Captain Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 12:56 pm
100% chance Karen Lewis will exaggerate.
Comment by walker Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 1:17 pm
Someone on here will no better than I, but with the reforms that were passed a couple years ago, the public now gets the right to know both sides last and best offer right? This gives the public/parents/voters the ability to form their own opinions of which side is being more reasonable and who is not, aka who they blame the most.
Comment by Ahoy! Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 1:44 pm
–This was kind of an odd comment:
What is percent chance for strike now? Lewis says today it’s 100. Tomorrow maybe 95.–
LOL, it means it’s just posturing, at the moment.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 1:46 pm
She’s never unpredictable. She consistently disappoints.
Comment by A guy Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 1:55 pm
When the strike takes place media should be sticking cameras in the face of the lawmakers who thought it was a good idea to change the law to allow CTU to strike again.
Comment by Downstate Illinois Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:01 pm
Unless the fact finder agreed with them 100% and gave them everything they wanted they were going to reject it…
Who didn’t see that coming.
Comment by OneMan Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:06 pm
She didn’t take a strike off the table before graduation, but I’d see that as a huge PR hit.
I’d bet September, especially if there is no budget from Springfield.
Comment by Rahm's Parking Meter Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:06 pm
The CTU has a point about CPS not being committed to long term revenue. Sure CPS will say they want/need it, but it’s pretty wishy washy.
That said, Karen needs to get her union to understand that CPS is actually out of money this time. As long as they believe that CPS is sitting on millions/billions and creating fake crises, it’s going to be hard for a deal to get done.
Comment by From the 'Dale to HP Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:07 pm
Karen Lewis and CTU consistently demonstrate they have a complete lack of understanding basic math.
Comment by Tone Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:18 pm
There is no sympathy for the teachers in Chicago from ordinary citizens. People are outraged and tired of the laziness and greed.
Comment by Tone Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:19 pm
===There is no sympathy for the teachers in Chicago from ordinary citizens===
Yeah. Right.
Got any polling data to back this up? Clear election results? Anything at all?
You need to calm down a bit, dude. Try posting a quarter of what you’re doing.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:24 pm
===There is no sympathy for the teachers in Chicago from ordinary citizens.===
I disagree and I said so up at the top. Are you from Chicago? If you’ve been paying even a bit of attention to neighborhood politics recently, it is quite clear that there is an enormous amount of sympathy for teachers from ordinary citizens.
Your consistency is admirable, but your pathetic drive-bys are tiresome. Have you ever tried giving an issue a moment’s thought before you type some partisan/ideologically driven slogan?
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:28 pm
Even if Springfield comes through, the CPS deficit will still be huge. The teachers union will still have to accept a contract less generous than those of the past in order to help close the remaining budget gap. Otherwise, they’ll lose a lot of dues paying members come Fall.
Comment by Chicago Taxpayer Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:30 pm
I’m starting to think Tone is a bot created in Ken Griffin’s basement.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:34 pm
CTU is going on strike in the middle of the school year because they REALLY care about the kids.
Comment by TominChicago Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:34 pm
I always supported the teachers. But CPS is out of money. Maybe it takes a strike to drive that home for everyone, CTU, CPS, and the good people of Chicago.
Maybe that helps get a tax hike through.
Comment by jerry 101 Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:53 pm
While I don’t have numbers to back up my opinion…..I suspect the support lies more with the teachers than CPS in the City of Chicago. I also believe that the average citizen has little information about the average salary or the contents of their contract. Easier for most to support the “little guy -vs- CPS and that’s the extent of it.
Comment by cgo75 Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 3:22 pm
Karen Lewis tells the parents who have kids in CPS to “Be prepared”. What preparation would that be? Transfer your children to a charter school? I am presuming those teachers would not be on strike.
Comment by Maximus Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 3:23 pm
Has anyone polled parents and Chicago voters ton find out if 1) They support the CTU walking out on their kids for money that’s not there? 2) If they support the teachers walk out, how much are they willing to have their real estate taxes/rent increased to pay for raises? 10%? 20%? 30%? 100%?What percentage of those polled can estimate the average salary of Chicago school teachers within $5,000, and the cost of teacher benefits and number workdays and contact hours?
How many know where CPS ranks in median salary, number of students per teacher, and contact hours amongst the ten largest school districts in the country? One of the things I’ve learned over the years knocking on doors for school board members is that people in the community GROSSLY underestimate how much the teachers make and what their benefits are. Most don’t believe it when you tell them and are shocked when they look it up.
Comment by Just a question Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 3:40 pm
How many know where CPS ranks in median salary, number of students per teacher, and contact hours amongst the ten largest school districts in the country?
Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t CPS teachers the highest paid and work the least amount of hours of the top 10 metro districts in the country?
Comment by Dave in Chicago Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:29 pm
==There is no sympathy for the teachers in Chicago from ordinary citizens. People are outraged and tired of the laziness and greed.==
Most chicagoans support CTU. Keep in mind that most of the property revenues come from Downtown and the lakefront. Everyday chicagoans will unlikely to see much change in their tax bill, and therefore can support the teachers demands to soak the “wealthy,” abstractly. If there is population exodus and chicago’s tax base declines perhaps public opinion will change but until that time I would bet on steeper tax increases from the city and the state to meet CTU’s salary increase demands and fund their generous pensions.
Comment by atsuishin Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:32 pm
Classic head in the sand from the usual suspects. There is no money. CPS is insolvent. It can’t pay it’s obligations. The state will not bail it out. CTU is a joke and Karen Lewis is a classic pig at the taxpayer trough.
Comment by Tone Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:44 pm
When the union’s inspiration through the workers’ blood shall run,There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun;Yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one,But the union makes us strong.
Comment by Honeybear Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:44 pm
It would be great if someone would run a poll explaining the amount of taxpayer money needed to fund CTU fantasies and the reaction Chicagoans would have to that level of taxation.
Comment by Tone Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:46 pm
Allow municipal bk, that will help a lot.
Comment by Tone Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:54 pm
I support municipal bankruptcy. I support school district bankruptcy. I support states being allowed to file for bankruptcy. I wonder, if placed on a statewide ballot how this would fare.
Comment by blue dog dem Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 5:10 pm
–Classic head in the sand from the usual suspects. There is no money. CPS is insolvent. It can’t pay it’s obligations.–
Who’s not being paid?
Try to avoid the big boy words like “insolvent” if you don’t have a clue as to what they mean.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 5:22 pm
==- Downstate Illinois - Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:01 pm:==
You might want come back down to reality. The reform bill several years ago raised the voting threshold for a strike.
==- TominChicago - Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 2:34 pm:==
By what definition is this the “middle” of the school year?
==- Tone - Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:44 pm:==
This is a very detailed argument utilizing logic and facts to prove an asseration. Incredible! /s
Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 7:45 pm
Where can Rahm get the money? Raise the tax on residential property to what all the other counties pay.
Comment by DuPage Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 8:37 pm
Honeybear, now that song will be in my head the rest of the night. Which isn’t all bad-last night it was “Taps” which really creeped me out coming from a military family.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 10:19 pm
blue dog dem - Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 5:10 pm:
I support municipal bankruptcy. I support school district bankruptcy. I support states being allowed to file for bankruptcy. I wonder, if placed on a statewide ballot how this would fare.
CPS is insolvent. Claypool said it needs to borrow more money, again. The last time CPS went to the capital markets, it’s debt had rates over 8%. Mortgage rates are less than half that. Allow municipal bankruptcy, now.
Comment by Tone Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 9:04 am