Last night the Chicago Teachers' Union (CTU) went on strike. This is the first action like this in 25 years. Huge!
29,000 teachers went on strike because they like all workers want fair pay and decent working conditions. Additionally, they want to serve their students the best they can. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, backed by Mitt Romney which is a pretty good indications of who is right and wrong, failed to bargain with the union. JJ did a write up about this earlier, and naturally he covers everything you need to know.
But here is a brief summary of Zaid Jilani's article followed by a few photos:
- Powerful Outside Interests Worked With Rahm to Cripple CTU's Ability to Strike (They Failed). Last year, privatization groups worked with the city council and Mayor Rahm to raise the threshold to 75% meaning 3/4 of teachers would have to vote in favor of a strike. However, 90% of CTU members voted to strike, so looks like that didn't work out so well for those who would union bust.
- Rahm Refuses to Pay Teachers What They Were Promised. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) had agreed to offer teachers a 4% raise last year, but Mayor Rahm canceled it. The district refused to address this in negotiations. During all this CPS called for longer school days, which is a pay decrease. Stay classy CPS.
- The City Won't Agree to Limit the Number of Kids in Classrooms in the Contract. Illinois does not have limits on classroom size. CTU wants a limit on class sizes in its contract, buy again the city refuses to discuss it.
- Rahm is Intent on Shifting Funds to Untested and Unproven Charter Schools. Mayor Rahm is aggressively expanding charter schools and wants 250 more in the next 5 to 10 years. The research is inconclusive as to whether charter schools are in the best interests of students. Of course charter schools are largely non union and lack the benefits unions provide for teachers and students. Teachers in charter schools tend to make 8% less than public school teachers
Thus far, I've heard the students are standing with their teachers, but some parents are unhappy.
These photos were part of a FoxNews slideshow.
