Labor

Budget + Tax Criminal Justice Good Government Jobs + Growth Labor Pensions

Quick-to-strike leaders need to be replaced, Chicago Teachers Union members say

By Patrick Andriesen

01/26/2022

The Members First Caucus said the current Chicago Teachers Union leaders see “work stoppages and strikes as the first step, and not the last one.” They want less political activism and more focus on delivering for members and students.

TAGS: COVID-19, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike

Amendment 1 would come between teachers, dedication to students

By Ann Miller

01/20/2022

Amendment 1 would give Illinois teachers a permanent right to strike, taking more class time away from teachers who believe their place is with their students instead of on the picket line. Voters will decide Nov. 8.

TAGS: Amendment 1, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike

Chicago Teachers Union’s illegal strike is over, but parents sue to stop next one

By Patrick Andriesen

01/14/2022

Parents of Chicago Public Schools students sued to end the “remote work action” by Chicago Teachers Union members that kept 340,000 students out of classrooms for five days. The walkout is over, but the lawsuit is continuing to prevent the next illegal strike.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, lawsuit, strike

Amendment 1 would guarantee Illinois’ sky-high debt, taxes would rise faster

By Adam Schuster, Justin Carlson

01/13/2022

Unfair advantages for public sector unions are already driving Illinois’ massive debt and high taxes. Enshrining their power in the Illinois Constitution would make it worse and give voters less say about government costs.

TAGS: Amendment 1, debt, government unions, Illinois Constitution, taxes

Chicago-area firefighters battle to kick out union

By Mailee Smith

01/12/2022

Carpentersville firefighters collected enough signatures to trigger the removal of SEIU as their union, but SEIU is fighting back against their freedom to choose.

TAGS: Carpentersville, firefighters, government unions, SEIU: Service Employees International Union

Strike cost Chicago students 5 days; Amendment 1 could cost them many more

By Ann Miller

01/12/2022

Voters will decide Nov. 8 whether the Chicago Teachers Union will have a permanent right to walk out on students for whatever reason union bosses decide.

TAGS: Amendment 1, COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Chicago Teachers Union ends walkout after students lose 5 days

By Dylan Sharkey

01/11/2022

Chicago students will be back in classes Jan. 12 after losing five days of instruction thanks to a walkout by the Chicago Teachers Union. The union forced more COVID-19 testing, but damaged students’ educations for the third time in 27 months to do so.

TAGS: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Chicago Public Schools rejects opt-out testing solution

By Dylan Sharkey

01/10/2022

CPS rejected a proposal from the Chicago Teachers Union that would have tested randomly selected students. Mayor Lighfoot says parents opting in is non-negotiable

TAGS: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Nonprofit offers $5 million in grant money for Chicago families harmed by CTU walkout

By Dylan Sharkey

01/07/2022

A nonprofit is dedicating $5 million in rescue funds to create more opportunities for students shut out of classrooms while negotiations between Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools drag on.

TAGS: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Lightfoot fights back against CTU, withholds pay and considering legal action

By Dylan Sharkey

01/06/2022

In the ongoing CPS-CTU feud, Mayor Lightfoot says teachers on strike will be docked pay, and the city is considering legal recourse. The union says classrooms aren’t safe, and they won’t budge until COVID cases drop or demands are met.

TAGS: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Lori Lightfoot

Unions flood politicians with cash: How it buys clout in Illinois General Assembly

Government unions in Illinois have tremendous power. Most are allowed to go on strike and can bargain over virtually anything.1 It creates an uneven playing field, with unions able to demand costly provisions in their contracts and threaten to strike – denying Illinoisans needed services – to get what they want.2 Until recently, the potential...

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Labor

Unions flood politicians with cash: How it buys clout in Illinois General Assembly

Toni Larocco

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students