Chicago Public Schools & Teachers Union Reached A Tentative, 11th-Hour Agreement
By aaroncynic in News on Oct 11, 2016 2:31PM
A smiling Karen Lewis addresses reporters after the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools came to an 11th hour agreement on a contract. Photo by Aaron Cynic/Chicagoist.
“It wasn’t easy. Clearly we had some issues and there’s some things to still be working on, CTU President Karen Lewis said at a midnight press conference. “What we ended up with is something that’s good for kids, clinicians, paraprofessionals, teachers and the community and we’re very pleased we were able to come to this type of agreement.”
Mayor Rahm Emanuel too, seemed pleased. “The teachers' hard work will be respected in this contract, and appropriately rewarded,” he said at his own press conference from City Hall which took place shortly after the CTU’s. “Chicago Public Schools' finances will be stronger and on firmer ground because of this agreement. Parents and taxpayers will be relieved, and more importantly, reassured, that we all came together to work together with a common purpose.”
“Students across Chicago will be in school this morning and on the path to a stronger and brighter future, he added.”
The agreement, which still has to be ratified by the House of Delegates and then voted on by the full membership of the CTU, comes as a relief to worried parents, teachers and students, many of whom were awake until the wee hours of the morning waiting to hear whether or not they would be in class or possibly on a picket line at 6:00 a.m.
“It’s 22 months of uncertainty I think is a relief for the entire city,” said Lewis.
Chicago teachers have been working without a contract for more than a year. The union overwhelmingly voted in favor of striking and set a date of Oct. 11 if it could not come to an agreement with the District. The parties were at odds over a host of issues, including pension contributions, classroom size, school funding, staff and pay cuts and insurance contributions.
The new deal, which would last four years and would begin from where the last contract ended, preserves the 7 percent pension pick up at current levels for current teachers and paraprofessional and school-related personnel. Those hired after January 1, 2016 will not receive the pension pick up, but instead receive increases in salary. Over-enrolled K-2 classes with more than 32 students will receive teacher’s aides, and preserves some cost of living adjustments for 2018 and 2019.
All signs seem to point to an agreement with the mayor on a much-needed influx of school funding as well. Last night Lewis said she had heard “rumors” that a deal may have been brokered to use TIF money, and multiple unnamed sources have allegedly told the Chicago Tribune Emanuel will declare a surplus of $175 million and give the schools at least half of it.