Chicago Teachers Threaten First Strike in 25 Years

Third largest US school district may shut down on Monday

America's third-largest public school system may be without teachers on Monday. That'll happen if a deal isn't brokered between Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) by midnight Sunday, Reuters reports.

Emanuel wants to push tougher standards tied to test scores and give principals more power over hiring teachers. The CTU doesn't want to make any more concessions, having already given in over longer school days. Plus the union considers Chicago's cancellation of a 4% longevity pay raise and sick leave to be an unfair labor practice.

The battle has caught national attention as Emanuel would be the first-big city mayor to deal with a teacher strike since 2006, and the conflict has the eyes of other beleaguered teacher unions across the country, according to the Associated Press.

The strike, if it happens, would affect 400,000 students. Chicago has a $25 million contingency plan to keep 144 of Chicago's 700 schools open for students from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, providing activities along with meals.

Via Reuters

Who should give ground in this battle - the teachers' union or the city of Chicago?

[marine1]

It will be a great job opportunity for all those currently out of work and a fresh start for the school district. a win win win.

[marine1]

If they strike, the schoolboard should immediately file for bankruptcy,ask the judge to authorize hiring new teachers and then the boar should ALL run to iowa and hide out.

[CanisCanemEdit]

@marine1 - Holding childrens education hostage to make a couple of extra bucks is immoral. Perhaps not criminal, but definitely immoral.

[Fishbone345]

Benefit packages are getting smaller and smaller everywhere. We are reverting bit by bit to conditions at the turn of last century. We've come so far!
Having a job is great, but being worked till you drop from exhaustion isn't enticing.

[MongoAPillager]

it does suck,but that is the principle that founded this country

[FollowTheMoney]

Come on Fishbone, These teachers aren't worked to the bone. Hell they only work 6 months out of the year, and get paid for 12. IMO they don't deserve the money they get now.

[Fishbone345]

@MongoAPillager You know what else founded this country? Child labor and slaves. We gonna resort to them again too? I would think that progress would be hailed and lauded not discouraged.

[Fishbone345]

@FollowTheMoney I don't know where you live, but my son goes for 9 months not 6. And of that the clubs and organizations he's involved in go year round.
When class size keeps increasing and people's kids get worse and worse in the disrespect department, it makes the job tougher. You obviously haven't walked a mile.

[FollowTheMoney]

@Fishbone345 I should have said 180 days.

[DARSB]

I think anyone, no matter the motivation or purpose, who raises a hand in opposition to innate government arrogance deserves a round of applause. It's good to annoy elected officials and bureaucrats. Uneasy should sit the butts that bear the bosses.

[FollowTheMoney]

Lock-em out. Renegotiate contract to include; Hourly wages to be paid for time at school teaching, No professorial development pay, No prorated pay, No personal days,

[Lasvegas711]

Teacher only works, 9 months of year. It's not hard labor, they work out of the sun. Pension plan with great health benefits. Plus, they get to cash out all their sick and vacation time credits, for hard cash. Economy is in downward cycle, they shouldn't be crying.

[Gibraltar]

About time.

[VVP]

Oh yes.. that is brilliant. A generation of "adults" is just coming up now who think its ok to pay for marketing, abandon their rights, do not understand the definition of words like irony and bigotry or concepts like the difference between literal and figurative and someone is seriously considering cutting even MORE corners with the next generations education?!? No one can seriously be that daft to take a risk like that and claim to be in full control of their capacities.

[Lasvegas711]

People in hell, want ice water as well.

Nice to want, teachers have easy job per say, and they always want more.

My opinion, wait until President Obama, gets the national debt under $12 trillion.

[Realthinker]

If the school system hasn't got the money to pay for more teachers, or higher slaries or better benefits coverage, a strike isn't going to do any good.

[BigD1391]

Just hold on, Obama has a plan to elect help. Romney said less teachers, take that into account.

[rcws1]

It's about time they forced the teachers out of schools, now so, and maybe the children will be able to get a educated!

[TheLoneRanger]

Chicago can not afford to pay teachers more money.

As a Conservative I did not support Rahm Emanuel while he was in the Obama Administration. As Chicago Mayor I overwhelmingly do not support him. However at this time he is standing up to the Chicago Teachers Union thugs. In doing so Emanuel supports tougher teacher evaluations and expand non-union charter schools.

I support Emanuel in these efforts. Anything is better than the status quo.

The teachers unions demand that they hold an educational monopoly in any area in the country where they can get it. They cry foul because charter schools will take away funds from the public schools. My answer to them is,“So what?”

Public schools have been failing American families and America for decades. Teachers unions always want smaller class sizes and more money. Why? It is obvious. More in union dues.

Fire any teacher that strikes.

Al Shanker when he served as a national teacher’s union president said: I don’t represent the students I represent the teachers.

Chicago Now - December 1, 2011

Illinois teachers routinely threaten to abandon students to sweeten their contracts

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.- The threat of going on strike has become an accepted, and unfortunately profitable negotiation ploy for Illinois teachers unions.

In Illinois, teacher union contracts are “evergreen,” meaning that while a pact may have technically expired, the terms of the agreement stay in effect until a new deal is reached.

Public schools exist for students, yet the unions feel no remorse about their habit of holding children hostage to get what they want at the bargaining table. http://www.chicagonow.com/dennis-byrnes-barbe...

[Chomsky0]

"Teachers unions always want smaller class sizes and more money. Why? It is obvious. More in union dues."

A real gem of information.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

I've been told by a few posters here that I am a little critical of liberals. Forgive me, I feel it wrong when liberals want to legislate charity out of my pocketbook to their causes, but when they have a chance for charity they turn their noses up.

Chicago is a wretched city of poverty and despair that boasts 50 or more shootings every week. Most of the assailants and victims are poor black youth. These liberal teachers have an opportunity to sacrifice to make sure these kids get an education, yet they elect to turn their backs on the most vulnerable amongst them and deny them the chance to learn and advance their way out of poverty. With only a gang on one side of the street and a school on the other, the liberal teachers threaten to shut down the school dooming the children to be the prey of gangs and drugs.

This is the thinking of a liberal. They want more money from you and me to feed their greed, yet they will never make sacrifices themselves to help their causes. Liberals caused the mess in inner cities today by busting up the black family through welfare and lowering expectations for blacks, then when they have the urban youth at their mercy they threaten to shut down the schools. Sick!

If anyone ever wants to know why I can't vote for obysmal, this article explains it perfectly. Liberals talk but do not act. Until liberals are willing to make personal sacrifices for the causes they believe in they have a lot of nerve to demand that I pay more taxes to support those same causes. Suck it up liberal teachers and take a little less in pay and benefits and help the most vulnerable of your base. When you do that I'd be more than happy to chip in. Seems you don't even believe in your own. So very sad...

Oh, and obysmal's time is almost up. Nov 6th = Independence Day Pt. II!!!

P.S.: Isn't it interesting that Rahm Emanuel, former chief of staff to the most radically liberal president in the history of this nation, is engaging in union busting? Where are the protests? Where are the legislators that should be escaping the state of Illinois to protest violating union rights? Unions have gone so far afoul of common sense even the most radically leftist mayor in Chicago's history can't see eye to eye with them. Wow. If Democrats ever want my support they should start with divorcing themselves of all unions of any kind or type. Then adopt a pro-America, pro-business agenda. Otherwise liberals will just continue to eat their own, to the amusement of real Americans with common sense!

[Lorth]

Good grief! Bring in people on welfare to grade papers, make copies and do filing. This will free up teachers to Teach and quiet down all the people screaming about the low-lives mooching off the governement. Do I have to solve all these problems by myself?

[LGRepublican]

Illinois could just show some guts and elect a Governor like we did here in Wisconsin. Scott Walker pretty much castrated the teacher's union here, it's time a few other states followed his lead.

[sylehrman]

Good for them!

[LGRepublican]

So they wait until school starts to "strike". But I thought it was all about "the children"???

[sylehrman]

No matter who wants what in the education business it is always "for the children." Everyone says it about everything. Many grow weary of the phrase, but you have to muddle along and put up with it, after all, it's for the children. Bigger classes? Smaller classes? Chow mien for lunch? It's for the children.....

[culinary]

Question....those of you saying teachers don't do that much work, are you teachers? I am. Walk a mile....

[mimi57]

You have my respect. My daughter-in-law is a teacher, and a whole lot has changed since I was in school. She's very tiny and blonde and almost looks like a student herself. She has been yelled at, called vicious names, and even grabbed by a student.
The police had to be called. She is so stressed out every day, a job she loved, she now hates and dreads going to work each day,
plus, when she gets home , she has to grade papers, and plan lessons, often for kids who pay no attention... I think the biggest
part of the money goes to the Administration. Principals and the
Superintendents make a hundred to 160 thousand a year. Then
if they decide to "retire", they still get their pension of over a hundred grand, get another job and receive another salary of
160,000. This should be stopped, it is a burden to taxpayers
having to pay "double" salaries to anyone. The money should
be going to pay the teachers and the cost of supplies, etc.
Not for administrators to "double dip". My thanks to you and all
teachers, as this has to be one of the hardest jobs there are, especially in this day...

[marine1]

@mimi57 the whole system is screwed up and if it EVER gets straightend out, everyone will be hurt. It is a harsh stand to take but it should have never gotten this far out of hand in the first place. i wish your daughter-in-law well.

[mimi57]

@marine1 The biggest problem is lack of parental guidance, no
manners or respect shown or taught at home, and no parental participation at school. The only time the parents show up is,
to fight with the teachers, not ever to discipline the kids. No one
disciplines the kids, and the schools are not allowed.

[marine1]

@mimi57 thats the problem with the world,no discipline,no accountability,no principle,

[mimi57]

@marine1 Exactly...I wonder if people even know what it means anymore. Every kid I see is plugged into an I Phone, I Pad, playing video games or texting, I think we're losing the ability
to actually socialize, the younger generation, unfortunately,
may never have that ability!....Sad

[David944]

You know its all about the children. sarc.