CPS, Independent Arbitrator Agree: District Can’t Afford Much More on Teachers’ Contract

Main Takeaway: District’s Severe Financial Constraints Confirmed

Chicago Public School officials pushed back Thursday against the contention by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) that an independent fact finder found that the school district has more money to spend on settling the teachers’ contract than it is letting on.

"The main takeaway for us is that [the arbitrator] confirmed the district’s severe financial constraints," said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez at a news conference Thursday.

Negotiations Still Ongoing, but Union Demands Remain Unmet

Still, Martinez repeated that the two sides are close to an agreement. He said negotiations have helped scale back CTU’s proposals, but he said the union is still asking for more than the district can afford.

Fact Finder’s Report: A Mixed Bag for Both Sides

CPS officials were responding to recommendations released Wednesday evening by an arbitrator brought in as part of the legal process required before the CTU can call a strike. The CTU rejected the findings Wednesday, which starts a 30-day countdown to when they can strike.

The report found that the school district could do better in a few areas, such as adding librarians, mostly because the costs were not exorbitant. The arbitrator sided with the school district on its offer for raises and five staffing proposals, while agreeing with the union’s proposals for hiring 30 more librarians in each of the next three years, spending more to increase veteran teacher pay, and hiring more family engagement coordinators.

Disagreement Over Interpretation of the Report

However, CTU leaders have yet to schedule a strike authorization vote – a fact that CPS lead negotiator Miguel Perretta said is a sign the two sides are close. But Martinez and his team said some of the ways the arbitrator’s report was described as favorable to the CTU’s positions are "simply untrue" and a "misrepresentation."

What’s Next for the Negotiations?

Perretta said school district officials are still contemplating the recommendations and will give them "the consideration they deserve." The school district did not officially accept or reject the fact finder’s recommendations, as CPS has done in the past. Perretta said the CTU rejected the report before the school district could respond. Only one side has to reject the findings to start the 30-day clock.

Conclusion

The ongoing negotiations between CPS and the CTU are a complex and contentious process. While the fact finder’s report has been released, both sides remain at odds over the district’s financial capabilities and the union’s demands. The next steps will be crucial in determining the outcome of this dispute.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What did the fact finder’s report recommend?
  • The report recommended hiring 30 more librarians in each of the next three years, spending more to increase veteran teacher pay, and hiring more family engagement coordinators.
• Did the fact finder find that CPS has more money to spend on settling the teachers’ contract?
  • No, the fact finder did not explicitly say that CPS has more money to afford the union’s demands.
• What is the next step in the negotiations?
  • The 30-day countdown to a potential strike has begun. The CTU has not yet scheduled a strike authorization vote.
• How do the two sides disagree on the fact finder’s report?
  • The CTU sees the report as providing a path forward, while CPS officials say it confirms the district’s severe financial constraints.