Nonunion Chicago educators sue CTU, AFT to end forced union dues

By Vincent Caruso

05/07/2020

While members can opt out of CTU at any time, the union says they may only stop paying the union if they do so during a one-month period. A lawsuit filed against the union argues this violates teachers’ First Amendment rights.

TAGS: AFT: American Federation of Teachers, Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, government unions, Janus v. AFSCME

Free resources to keep learning going while COVID-19 keeps students at home

By Ben Szalinski

03/30/2020

COVID-19 has forced classes to close, but children’s educations can continue with some creativity and a wealth of free resources for online learning at home.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education, school choice

Chicago teachers who don’t want to fund CTU leadership’s politics have options

By Mailee Smith, Vincent Caruso

01/30/2020

Leaders of Illinois’ largest local teachers’ union received swift blowback after their latest push into public politics. Members dissatisfied with the priorities of their union’s leadership deserve to know they have other options.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, government unions, Jesse Sharkey, Kim Foxx, labor, Lori Lightfoot, Nicolas Maduro, opt out, public sector, Stacy Davis Gates, strike, Venezuela

Chicago student enrollment dropped by 6,000, but union blocks closing schools

By Ben Szalinski

11/22/2019

The new contract continues a moratorium on school closings despite plummeting student enrollment.

TAGS: Chicago, contract, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, credit rating, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, enrollment, funding guarantee

All Illinois taxpayers on the hook for CTU’s 244-sick-day pension sweetener

By Vincent Caruso

11/14/2019

A provision included in the bargaining agreement reached between Chicago and its teachers union will allow teachers to trade up to 244 unused sick days for pension credits – billable to all Illinois taxpayers.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, teacher salaries

Chicago teachers no longer can save 40 sick days for retirement: now it’s 244

By Vincent Caruso

11/04/2019

Pension benefits consume 25% of Chicago Public Schools’ budget. The new Chicago Teachers Union contract increases bankable sick days six-fold, increasing pension costs and taking more from classrooms.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions

Striking Chicago teachers have the right to go to work and get paid

By Mailee Smith

10/30/2019

Teachers in Chicago Public Schools who are not union members cannot be punished for going to work during a union strike.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike

Chicago teachers recover pension contributions 5 months into retirement

By Adam Schuster

10/29/2019

After retiring at age 55, the average Chicago teacher just takes five months to get back everything they contributed toward their pension during their career.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions

Chicago school worker says she was assaulted for crossing picket line

By Austin Berg

10/27/2019

Yedidah Reuben said two union members attacked her for trying to work.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, labor, unions

Chicago teachers who don’t want to be on strike have options

By Mailee Smith

10/23/2019

The Chicago Teachers Union walked out on strike Oct. 17, but teachers who are not members of the union have more freedom to decide whether to return to their students.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike

Pension apocalypse? COVID-19 exposes long-running fragility of Illinois public pensions

Illinois’ pension crisis has been a growing problem for decades, and its negative effects on state residents are well documented.1 Economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and related government shutdown orders threaten to bring that long-running crisis closer to its breaking point. The state’s five pension systems collectively held nearly $139 billion of debt at...

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Pension apocalypse? COVID-19 exposes long-running fragility of Illinois public pensions

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Joanne Troesch

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

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