By Nick Binotti and Ted Dabrowski
Details emerging about Chicago Teachers Union’s upcoming contract show just how divorced its demands are from the reality at Chicago schools.
The union wants to hike total teacher salaries by $1 billion in the next four years even though CPS teacher salaries are already at a nationwide high. Never mind the district is expected to run a $400 million deficit next year and 80% of minority kids can’t read at grade level.
The union wants taxpayers to spend money on migrant students, climate initiatives, fully-paid abortions for its members and gender-affirming care. Never mind that all-in CPS spending is already set to jump over $30,000 per student next year.
The union wants to block parental notification as it pushes a more extreme cultural agenda over sex-ed and gender issues. Never mind that families have been fleeing the district by the thousands each year. District enrollment has collapsed by more than 115,000 students, or 27%, over the last two decades.
CTU’s demands are extreme, but as Wirepoints laid out in this WSJ oped, the union has been appeased by Illinois and Chicago politicians for a long time. It should come as no surprise that now they want even more.
Some contract details
Keep in mind CTU’s demands were leaked and have not yet been declared the official bargaining stance of the union. But it does provide insight into what can be expected. Here’s some of the more outrageous demands so far:
- Yearly raises for teachers equal to the higher of 9% or the rate of inflation.
- Migrant assistance including $2,000 stipends for each migrant along with a “Newcomer Liaison” for each school.
- Housing assistance for both CPS teachers and student families, including up to $60 million in rental assistance and hiring additional staff specifically dedicated to housing support.
- Climate justice initiatives including a hard deadline to remove all lead pipes from schools by the end of the contract. CTU is also asking for a $1,800 stipend for a “Climate Champion” in every school. CTU is also demanding the pension funds divest from any investments “contributing to climate change and other forces that are harming our students and communities.”
- Gender initiatives requiring each school to have either a gender support coordinator and/or LGBTQ+ lead/specialist. CTU is also demanding that parents not be notified of how their children identify.
- Health care including 100% abortion coverage and gender-affirming care. CPS would also be required to pay a $1,000 stipend to travel out-of-state for an abortion “in the event Illinois law is amended to restrict access to such care.”
- Restorative Justice Coordinators for each school and a commitment to hire fifty of these coordinators each year for the term of this contract.
All those demands come on top of the huge wins the union had in 2019 after its 11-school-day strike. That contract included 24% raises over five years, generous health insurance subsidies, and commitments to hire hundreds of social workers and nurses.
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Count on CTU’s demands to veer further from reality until the public finally says no.
Read more from Wirepoints:
- What literacy crisis at Chicago Public Schools? Illinois State Rep. Buckner says he can read ‘very well.’
- Illinois education officials keep trying to hide their failures behind excuse of “higher test standards”
- City Club of Chicago plays host to education officials’ latest excuse for dismal student outcomes: The covid pandemic
- Poor student achievement and near-zero accountability: An indictment of Illinois’ public education system
- Get ready for the Chicago Teachers Union’s radical, expensive agenda in its upcoming contract negotiations
The bill passed despite their votes in response to certain incidents where local prosecutors are thought to have been too lenient with non-citizens assaulting cops.
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board cited Wirepoints’ analysis of Chicago student proficiency data in their latest piece condemning the Chicago Teachers Union’s outrageous contract demands…all while a vast majority of Chicago’s children graduate unable to read at grade level.
Ted joined Tom Miller of WJPF to talk about the details of Gov. Pritzker’s proposed $52 billion budget, why the state is struggling now that federal covid dollars have run out, the controversy surrounding Tier 2 government pensions, why Illinois’ expensive education system fails to teach children to read, the outrageous demands of the Chicago Teachers Union, and more.
Ted joined Jeff Daly to discuss how politicians can never spend enough on education despite there being no accountability for that spending, the growth of education staffing across Illinois, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $1 billion demand for Chicago schools, why Gov. Pritzker is providing $830 million in taxpayer subsidies to struggling EV carmaker Rivian, and more.
The Chicago Teacher’s Union is nothing but a corrupt joke.
The state needs ONE teachers union contract like many states have and NOT like CPS’s.
Time to break this union and start over.
How would that work where the cost of living in downstate IL is substantially less than much of the urbanized areas in NE IL? One size rarely fits all.
Here’s an idea. Instead of a contract that is a one size fits all which is usually the case with negotiations for public employees compensation should be based on merit/education/performance and outcome. Right now raises are given across the board but should be one on one based on the criteria I mentioned. In let’s say big box stores each with hundreds of employees like Menards/Lowes/Home Depot compensation is based on years employment/performance/etc and not across the board. Case in point. Look at the demands of CPS. 9% raises yearly or inflation for most everyone including those who are absent or… Read more »
The constitution guarantees the right to form a union. They could have several unions within the same employer, as is their right. There is no “breaking” this union. Also, each employer has different needs. Don’t think a school district from some small city in southern Illinois wants to be on the same contract that is offered to New Trier teachers. I don’t think CPS would want that either.
I’m not necessarily opposed to some standardized statewide teachers contract where the details of employment are concerned. But, where such a contract involves wages it ought to have a factor which multiplies the ratio of the local cost of living index against the statewide average index. I don’t know that the government even collects data for “local” (county or—better yet—township) COL data, but I doubt it.
Because of the Janus ruling CTU members with morals and a conscience can leave the union. All who stay are depraved, greedy, evil vermin and complicit active thieves of taxpayer money. Period. A special corner of hell is waiting for these grifters. The only solution is school vouchers for all. Competition and the free market will shine sunlight onto this nest of vampires and most will burn into smoke and ash.
Because of the Workers Rights Amendment, CTU members with morals and a conscience can leave the union and form their own union.
CTU does not have to be the exclusive representative of all Chicago teachers.
Well the CPS is totally divorced from education so I’d say we’re evenly balanced!
HERE IS A STRATEGY; divide and conquer
destroy the traditional pay scale , younger teachers are under paid,while older teachers are overpaid.Offer to pay all teachers equally. I am sure the younger teachers will approve.
If they can think beyond immediate gratification they won’t.
Have you ever heard of equal pay for equal work ?
Sounds like you’re an advocate for moving all tier 2 pensioners into the tier 1 category.
I am in favor of an IRA retirement system, that is portable.
NO NO NO I’m in favor of the opposite, moving all Tier 1 pensions into Tier 2!
Two teachers can be very different in the quality of their work as well as their effort in doing it. “Equal work” is a controversial and divisive concept in such situations.
Better yet, a union dues scale that has has teachers at the top of the pay scale paying more in dues than a first year teacher. Currently, every CTU member pays the same flat rate.
CTU is all about progressive taxation except when it come to their revenue. Their dues structure is actually worse than a flat tax.
These “demands” only further the notion that the union, and many of its members care very little about the children. I’m sure they’d also like to eliminated the residency requirement and make zooming into work an option for teachers who do not fell “safe”.
Nowhere do they mention reasonable learning expectations and behavioral standards. It’s all a money grab.
In 90 days the CTU can be brought to its knees and the blackmail will end forever. Just takes will. I’d offer to do it for $1/ day and bring my own crew in from downstate – just 90 days.
So your plan is to eliminate almost an entire semester from the students? lol. I’m sure there wouldn’t be any uproar from the voters. Probably why no one wants to try it.
You’re not wrong though. If Chicago doesn’t want to meet demands of the CTU they shouldn’t come to an agreement. They should tell the voters that the city can’t afford it and warn parents that the strike could be long-term. My guess is the union members have more resolve but it would be fun to watch.
You have no idea.
Well then, leave Peoria behind and move to the city and make this happen. What’s stopping you?
You and your Toadies aren’t near as clever as you think – fairly pathetic.
Does that mean you’re not going to bring CTU to its knees? I really thought you were going to fix everything.
The time to bust the CTU was during the pandemic when teaching was done remotely. The CTU had demands where they wanted to continue remote teaching for months and months past what was done in Chicago Catholic schools and elsewhere in the nation. What Lightfoot should have done is immediately forced the union back to in person teaching or else fired them. And then hire teachers from other states or areas to teach remotely. It would have been similar to what President Reagan did to break the controller’s union when they made illegal demands back in the 80s. That would… Read more »
Not the will of the voters argument again….
How does one defend the indefensible? Blame someone else, of course!
With CTU/Stacy & Brandon in Springfield lobbying for state taxpayer funding for CPS, their Springfield $ask$ can only be rationally leveraged on “school funding formula” (cooked up by CTBA/Martire & Co years ago that unfortunately Rauner & reps signed onto). Once again, can any of CTUs crazy “bargaining for the common good” demands be rationalized in “school funding formula”? Can even the crazy 9% yr pay raises be rationalized in “school funding formula”? Or is this all just machine theatrics for the few dopey voter/taxpayers that bother to vote to somehow believe there’s some difference between “new machine” CTU &… Read more »
I can’t say for Chicago but in my little burg I have noticed, from past teacher unrest, many of the parents seemingly are more interested in keeping the schools open disregarding teacher wants and desires. I often question if the motives of these parents are more in line with free babysitting as opposed to the intellectual achievement of their children at times like these. I must say though that, based upon recent school report cards coupled with extremely low attendance at school board elections it seems that the former, namely free babysitting, might have an edge. The parents apparently are… Read more »
Mostly they want free baby-sitting. Anything else is nice but secondary to most parents, or the grades, behaviors, attendance, and attitudes of most children would be markedly better.
This verifies PPF’s statement about the voters vote for this. I wish there was a breakdown of voters as to how many of them are recipients. How many of the voters have kids in school? If there are 300K students just guessing that would be at least 150K parents assuming each have 2 kids that voted. That in itself is a large voting block. Now add in the number of the Free Stuff Army people who have no skin in the game as they pay very little in taxes and do not own property or have substantial assets. Of course… Read more »
Yet another case for school choice – break the educational cartel, and a LOT of problems go away forever.
One step further, year round school for the parents that want babysitting and 9 month school for the ones that want an education, you choose.
Now, you’re adding a degree of implied social stratification whereby a voter is asked just how wonderful his children really are, and—guess what—most parents want to to think their children are Harvard bound even if others dealing with them on a daily basis are too stupid to see it. Besides, the local park district employees and the cops can be their baby-sitters during the summer.
CTU and other state and local government employee unions will win. Do the math. Check the biennial pension report issued by the Illinois Dept of Insurance. Do a rough calculation of how many individuals are vested in or collecting defined benefit pensions. Add in one or two sympathic family members. Enhance this number by the support of judges and pols receiving public union campaign support and their desire to collect a pension. Further enhance thus number by the sympathetic unionized fed workers and their family members, many of whom enjoy more lush benefits. Then look at the low voter turnout.… Read more »
Everything you say is true but I would add that there is a substantial block of individuals that demand that the schools be opened namely parents. Parents demand schools be open, regardless of motive, and no politician want to face the ire of angry parents on election day should they have been the ones that closed the schools. Perhaps wanting schools open simply to be open is an example of human nature. After all Bing Crosby sang about it decades ago in his 50 million seller “White Christmas” with the words “mom and dad can hardly wait for school to… Read more »
It’s almost like the voters are getting exactly what they want.
“All those demands come on top of the huge wins the union had in 2019 after its 11-school-day strike. That contract included 24% raises over five years, generous health insurance subsidies, and commitments to hire hundreds of social workers and nurses.” Were those demands not based on reality? Voters didn’t think so. “Count on CTU’s demands to veer further from reality until the public finally says no.” After the last CTU contract, the voters appeared to have said “yes” and elected a member of the CTU to run the city. Why wouldn’t CTU ask for everything on their wish list?… Read more »
BJ was elected by 17% of the eligible Chicago voters. Don’t try to construe that pathetic number into some kind of mandate for more CTU thievery. Voters are staying home from the polls in droves. The Democratic Socialists’ voter suppression project has been a roaring success.
Only the voters that show up and vote matter. The ones that stay at home have decided that others should choose their candidates for them. Those voters support the CTU.
Interesting post. We have a representative form of government. Those that choose not to vote, as you pointed out, have chosen representatives to vote for them yielding true representative government. I never thought of it before but I am sure to remember your post and warn you that in the future I may use (plagiarize) that “others have chosen” their representatives line without providing any attributes. How simple it is, representation at is finest.
There’s some truth to PPF’s statement but as usual it sounds nice as a maxim but ignores the reality on the ground. The reality on the ground is that Chicago proper is nearly 90% blue. Most races only have one candidate on the ballot. The one-party machine is a flaw of local democracy. The ‘real’ election isn’t in November, it’s in March, or June, or February, or April, whatever random month they’re holding elections primary elections in any given year. Voters aren’t showing up because there is no choice on the ballot – only the illusion of choice. There’s only… Read more »
Five people ran for mayor. Then 2 people ran in the run off. Chicago had a choice and they went with a member of the CTU.
They were given plenty of choices. This was exactly what the voters wanted.
And yet, the establishment candidate supported and hand-picked by the county’s most powerful Democrat still won. ANd just that one race while the rest were virtually uncontested. Is that the will of the voters, or the Democrat Party deciding whom will take the office? Sure, every once in a while there’s an upset – no one expected Lori to win (and the north side AWFL’s managed to elect the worst mayor in Chicago’s nearly 200 year history)….but when it comes to other elected offices…there’s an illusion of choice. That’s why nobody shows up and the hand picked candidate almost wins.… Read more »
Yes, that’s the will of the voters. They had a choice. They were able to choose from 5 different candidates and others were free to run as well. The voters decided.
There is a lot in what you say there and I often ponder the same thing about a lack of candidates. However look at a recent event where slating of candidates has been outlawed. What does this mean exactly? Does it mean that now the Republicans have to get off their dead ***s and run a primary election for a change? I personally know little of political strategy but I would think a primary is a perfect way to get your name out in front of the public. I understand the gerrymander thing but there are local elections and statewide… Read more »
Please use it. Proxy voting pure and simple.
“All those demands come on top of the huge wins the union had in 2019 after its 11-school-day strike. That contract included 24% raises over five years, generous health insurance subsidies, and commitments to hire hundreds of social workers and nurses.” Were those demands not based on reality? Voters didn’t think so. “Count on CTU’s demands to veer further from reality until the public finally says no.” After the last CTU contract, the voters appeared to have said “yes” and elected a member of the CTU to run the city. Why wouldn’t CTU ask for everything on their wish list? It certainly… Read more »
The reason he is Mayor is that the public sector unions have gamed the system. Doing so has destroyed the State. You should brag about it has been so successful.
Not to worry for me as I am about to FLEE.
Boss Pritzker is wanting to write checks for Democrat boondoggles taxpayers will struggle greatly to cash – the whole Democrat state of IL is living a fantasy, so why expect the CTU to live in the real world?
Jack – that is a concern. Given the scale of the CTU’s demands, it is entirely possible the Johnson administration will agree to a deal the City can’t fulfill. In practical terms this means increasing property taxes because this is the City’s most reliable source of revenue. The commercial real estate market is collectively insolvent so property tax increases may not be collected. And there are a limited number of neighborhoods that can sustain residential increases, too – higher property taxes will accelerate an exodus. Other revenue ideas such as a financial transactions tax won’t add revenue even if somehow… Read more »
The American Enterprise Institute reports that U.S. public school students’ chronic absenteeism almost doubled from 15% in 2019 to 28% in 2022. Coupled with CPS’ already falling enrollment, this should be the ideal moment for the city to play hardball with the CTU — fewer schools and jobs, flat wages, no new benefits, etc. Yet again, the moment is bigger than Brandon. Three more years, right?
And students still can’t read……
Sounds like “people are getting sicker, so we need to get tougher with the pay and benefits of medical personnel”. Huh?….. People of all ages are going to do what they choose to do, and blaming those who are employed to assist them to do better is hardly getting at the root of the problem. It all starts with parenting and community values with much of that nearly immune to governmental efforts to change it.
Are you suggesting that CPS requires more resources to serve reduced levels of enrollment and attendance, even when, “It all starts with parenting and community values with much of that nearly immune to governmental efforts to change it.” Please tell us more.
Not at all. I’m only trying to give an example of another set of employees who deal with problems sometimes getting worse and being blamed by some who might well claim they are the source of that problem, thus wanting to reduce their wages as “under-performers”. Both medical people and educators can only give advice and counsel. Actual improvement depends to a great extent depends upon the client’s willingness and ability to perform accordingly. People choosing otherwise or incapable of doing suffer the negative consequences. I’m not suggesting anything at all re contract negotiations.
James – your insights while I believe largely accurate make it appear that many CPS teachers are babysitters and not educators. This doesn’t support claims for higher pay. Note that amidst all of this given the behaviors I am not suggesting the “babysitting” job is at all easy.
In nearly every mandatory attendance institution you will have some people who will rebel or refuse to participate meaningfully. Now add some authority’s concept as to what activities are to occur hour by hour each day there without the total free choice of it being made by the attendees. Get the picture as to how such institutions often are a hard life for many unwilling to “go with the flow” of such enforced incarceration? A productive outcome always depends upon any such person having a positive attitude and a malleable personality, neither of which are enrollment requirements..
I purposely made no comment re contract negotiations. If what you—the employees—provide is valued it should be rewarded. If not the employer should feel free to plan otherwise, of course. What’s “valued” most varies from one situation and/or “client” to another presumably.