Chicago Public Schools and Teachers’ Union Turn to Arbitrator to Help Reach New Contract
Fact-Finding Process Underway to Resolve Sticking Points
A third-party labor arbitrator is hearing arguments from Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) on Wednesday and Friday in an effort to reach an agreement on a new contract. This fact-finding process has been used three times since it was established in state law in 2010. Twice, teachers still ended up going on strike. Under the timeline required by the law, the soonest a strike could now occur would be mid-April.
Key Issues Remain Unresolved
The teachers’ contract expired last June, and while the two sides have tentatively agreed to a host of issues, such as additional social workers and class size limits, key sticking points remain. The negotiations have taken place amid some of the most volatile moments for CPS leadership in the district’s history.
Union Requests Fact-Finding
The slow pace of negotiations at the start of the school year picked up after the union requested fact-finding last October. The two agreed to instead keep working to get a deal done without the help of an arbitrator. However, talks slowed to a halt in late December after the school board appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson took a dramatic vote to fire CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, who then filed a lawsuit requesting an injunction.
Arbitrator’s Role
Once arbitrator Martin Malin reviews materials from CPS and CTU and issues his recommendations, which are nonbinding, both could accept his recommendations or either of them can reject the proposal. If one party rejects them, Malin’s report will be made public and after 30 days, the union can issue a 10-day strike notice.
Union’s Concerns
CTU President Stacy Davis Gates expressed dissatisfaction with entering fact-finding and said starting this process shifts “what we talk about in bargaining only to finances, not what children need.” The union’s legal team filed an 80-page pre-hearing brief with Malin on Monday and outlined what they want him to consider when making his recommendations.
CPS’ Position
CPS officials disputed Gates’ comments, saying negotiations continue to progress, including over the past month, and that they “will continue to meet our labor partners at the negotiations table and bargain in good faith.” The district characterized its approach to bargaining as “fully student-centered” and aimed at preserving and building on “robust programs that have supported CPS’ impressive academic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Timeline
Thad Goodchild, the CTU’s deputy general counsel, said Malin is expected to issue his recommendations for a settlement by mid-February.
Conclusion
The fact-finding process is an attempt to resolve the outstanding issues between CPS and the CTU. The outcome of this process will determine whether a strike will occur or if a new contract will be reached.
FAQs
* What is the fact-finding process?
+ A third-party labor arbitrator is hearing arguments from CPS and the CTU to help resolve outstanding issues in the contract negotiations.
* What are the key sticking points in the contract negotiations?
+ Issues such as teacher prep time, evaluation procedures, and financial concerns remain unresolved.
* When is the arbitrator expected to issue his recommendations?
+ Malin is expected to issue his recommendations by mid-February.
* What happens if one party rejects the arbitrator’s recommendations?
+ If one party rejects the recommendations, the report will be made public and after 30 days, the union can issue a 10-day strike notice.
