Introduction to the Contract Negotiations
Chicago Public Schools officials and Chicago Teachers Union leaders appeared close to a contract agreement Thursday as all parties appeared exasperated by protracted negotiations that have dragged on for almost a year.
Progress and Delays in Negotiations
But the day ended without a resolution, and negotiations didn’t continue into the night, prompting CTU leaders to announce they would hold a special meeting of their 500-member governing body, the House of Delegates, “in the near future.” At this stage in past negotiations, that move has typically led to a strike authorization vote — though a work stoppage in these talks remains unlikely.
New Proposals
The school district had returned to the bargaining table Thursday morning with new proposals on additional planning time for teachers and extra pay for veteran educators, sources close to negotiations told WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times. The two sides also continued discussing the frequency of evaluations for some teachers, the third and final outstanding issue.
Impact on the CPS Budget Vote
The progress — then the CTU’s threat — came the day after a tense meeting at City Hall in which Mayor Brandon Johnson tried to broker a compromise. And it led the Board of Education to postpone a crucial vote Thursday on a proposed late-year amendment to the CPS budget that would have reimbursed City Hall for a long-disputed pension payment as well as funded a CTU agreement. At the start of the board’s monthly meeting at CPS’ downtown headquarters, board President Sean Harden announced that the amendment was withdrawn from the agenda because CPS and CTU were “extremely, extremely close” to a deal.
Postponement of the Budget Vote
He said the budget amendment would be brought back to a board vote “very soon.” The highly anticipated vote looked likely to fail, which would have been an embarrassment for the mayor. Johnson’s office and CPS — which have been feuding over these budget challenges since the late summer — still haven’t agreed on how the district should pay for both a CTU contract and the pension reimbursement.
Mayor’s Position and CTU’s Response
Johnson desperately needs the school board to approve the district’s pension payment to the city by March 31 in order to close his 2024 budget in the black — and he would like his allies at the CTU to land a contract without a strike. CPS CEO Pedro Martinez has refused to make the pension payment, arguing CPS doesn’t have enough money to cover both the pension and the CTU contract — so he had urged the board to reject the budget amendment and only fund the teachers contract.
Funding Challenges
The district would need an additional $240 million to cover both. The mayor’s office and an independent report by a financial firm suggested some options, such as additional borrowing or debt refinancing. But Martinez has not approved of any funding ideas so far, arguing they would be fiscally irresponsible.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the prospect of a CTU contract deal has delayed a pivotal CPS budget vote, leaving the future of the school district’s finances uncertain. While progress has been made in negotiations, the CTU’s threat to hold a strike authorization vote has added pressure to reach a deal. The outcome of these negotiations will have significant implications for the school district, its teachers, and the city’s budget.
FAQs
What is the current status of the CTU contract negotiations?
The CTU and CPS are close to a deal, but the exact terms of the agreement have not been finalized.
Why was the CPS budget vote postponed?
The budget vote was postponed because the CTU and CPS were close to a deal, and the board wanted to wait for clarity on the final cost of the contract before voting on the budget amendment.
What are the outstanding issues in the negotiations?
The outstanding issues include additional planning time for teachers, extra pay for veteran educators, and the frequency of evaluations for some teachers.
Is a strike likely?
A strike seems unlikely at this point, given the progress made in negotiations and the fact that the CTU has been working to sell wins to its members rather than agitating them toward a strike.
