It’s been nearly a year since the Chicago Teachers Union began negotiations on a new contract, with the old one ending last April, and now there are current requests for higher pay, less restrictive evaluations, and money for more librarians and counselors has not gone unheeded but face budgetary concerns; but, these have been accompanied by dramatic moments, notably the firing of the Chicago Public Schools CEO, Pedro Martinez, and history in the making with the inclusion of the city’s first elected school board members.
The reactions have been varied and have resulted in widespread criticism from former school officials, conservative voices that have aligned themselves against not only the union, one of the most powerful in the country, but also against Mayor Brandon Johnson himself, a former school teacher, and official; and, whose union support helped propel him to office.
In a city where bare knuckled political battles are the norm, it seems that the CTU is in the eye of the storm, with each day bringing blaring headlines and egregious statements, sometimes cagy, and frequently predicting hell and damnation to the other side.
Chicago has the nation's third largest school system, just behind New York and Los Angeles, and for years has been plagued by a tax based funding formula that pitted the haves against the have nots, and has a student population of nearly half Black and half Hispanic student, who mostly have not had the politically backing of local, and even state officials; and, whose classrooms have been swelled by the arrival of immigrant students, many of whom were bussed, with their families, from the Southern Border by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a move that was seen by many as a prime example of political gamesmanship.
This has left many teachers, and most administrators, trying to cope with students who have not been in school in months, as their families struggled under dangerous conditions to escape political corruption, and gang violence to the United States; with the challenges of learning a new language and a new country, where often the teachers do not speak that language, most often Spanish; all of which adds to an existing population of students who are not infrequently low income, but often homeless.
Framed this way, it’s not hard to see why teachers want, and need, more money, plus more resources, plus a more balanced evaluation system that reflects that not all of the work takes place in the classroom.
With the fiscal burden facing not only the city, with its pension funding challenges, there is the fundamental problem of creating a stable school system that faces these and many other issues, to create a strong corps of future employees, in an ever changing, world that demands much from its workforce, than in previous eras.
Enter Pedro Martinez, Chicago raised, and a veteran administrator, whose return to Chicago was a homecoming,and while he has the experience, checkered, say his critics; but, his leadership of this often troubled system had brought him to the unwelcome task of telling Johnson that he did not want to take out a high priced loan to shore up the financial demands of the union; and, in turn this led to some very public spats with not only the mayor but the CTU President Stacy Gates that led to his eventual firing, and a host of subsequent legal battles that kept him as lead negotiator in the battle for the new contract.
After a state mandated factfinder was brought in, much to the surprise of Gates, and Martinez, he agreed with many points from each side, and not only this widespread agreement, but sided with CPS in stating that a 4% pay increase during the first year was tenable and later inching up to 4.5% in subsequent years, reaching a compromise of sorts, and agreeing with the need for 90 new librarians by 2029, and more family engagement coordinators to help with the diverse needs of student families.
Matt Malin, the factfinder, had his work cut out for him, but even the union’s lawyer Latoya Kimbrough agreed that this was one of the best reports since the 2010 law, saying, "Without a doubt The best fact finding report the partners received since it became a part of the law.”
It’s no secret that President Trump wants to abolish the US Dept. of Education, and specifically has said that his goal is “ending radical indoctrination” in American schools, and the rejection of the report, can take all parties back to the drawing board, but also run the real risk of punitive measures from the new administration, and that could result in the loss of much needed revenue for not only low income students, but those with special needs as well.
Martinez has said that he feels the report was, “a very thoughtful and thorough analysis,” and Miguel Perreta, the district lead coordinator, has said, "overall, the report highlights how close we are at bargaining.”
Gates has given support, of sorts, by noting that there is no agreement on everything, but that it is a step forward, and was quoted in the local media as being “dumbfounded" with its largely favorable agreements with union demands.
Both sides have a 30 day clock, or countdown, and the CTU would be able to notify the district of a 10 day strike notice, which as we’ve seen, might prove an opening for the Trump administration to intervene; and, from what has come down
from the administration, with its myriad of executive orders, that would not be welcomed by either side.
