A few parting observations, lessons to be learned, and things to watch in the future: Any positives in the contract? Yes, but… It is hard to find positives in the contract, but for what it’s worth: Chicago had one of the shortest school days and years in the US. The school day is a bit longer and...
Institute Experts on the Chicago Teachers Union Strike A meditation on the Chicago Way The CTU strike has ended and a lot of people are asking: “what happened?” Five things you need to know about Chicago Public Schools Five critical facts to keep in mind during the CTU strike. Cheat Sheet: Chicago Public Schools A...
There is room to debate who won the battle between Chicago and its striking teachers union but there is little disagreement the strike and the deal approved by union members on Tuesday mark a personal loss for Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Statement from Mayor Rahm Emanuel on the Chicago Teacher’s Union Choice to Continue to Strike. I will not stand by while the children of Chicago are played as pawns in an internal dispute within a union. This was a strike of choice and is now a delay of choice that is wrong for our children....
t is becoming more and more apparent that the big items of contention between the Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union were the rehiring of laid-off teachers and teacher evaluations. While claiming that other issues remained unresolved, union officials had said numerous times that they would not agree to a contract without getting...
Now that Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis has announced that CTU will strike Monday morning, it is very clear: Children are not the top priority for teachers who belong to the Chicago Teachers Union. The two things that matter most to these teachers are money and avoiding accountability for poor performance. Lewis and the...
This will hardly come as news to most readers of this blog, but an occasional reminder is still useful: the ties between unions and the Democratic Party are numerous and strong. That goes for the Chicago Teachers Union and the administration with which they are bargaining. As Randi Weingarten, the head of the CTU’s parent...
Occupational licensing requirements present one of the steepest barriers to low-income Illinoisans starting careers in beauty services. Illinois requires anyone seeking to become a barber, cosmetologist, nail technician or hair braider to obtain a state license, essentially a permission slip to work. Unlike 45 other states, Illinois offers only one pathway to licensure for each...