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Ted appeared on the Illinois Channel TV to talk about the Chicago teachers strike. He told Illinoisans what they need to know: that all Chicagoans will lose no matter how the strike is resolved, that taxes will continue to go up, that property values will continue to stagnate, and that people will continue to leave the city.
Read what you need to know about the strike:
Summary and audio linked here.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Full interview and summary linked here.
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Simple math. That’s all it takes to explain why the CTU’s demands can’t be met. Funny thing about math is, it doesn’t care about your feelings. It is apathetic to your chants, demands, and rhetoric. The fact that the supposed educators of Chicago refuse to accept it points to much deeper problems within the CPS than just funding, class sizes, and support staff.
“Yes,” but from their point of view “no.” The city of Chicago has financial responsibility for various kinds of activities with each having its own budget. The overall pie has a certain size. CTU at the least wants a bigger slice of that pie, although I’m sure they’d like the size of the pie to grow as well. I’m not arguing for them nor against them, so don’t try claiming otherwise.
Let’s gauge CTU’s true end goals and values by countering with the following: – Hire more nurses/librarians/social workers but make them non-union positions and under CPS administration, like the principals who are not union. – For every 25 nurses/librarians/social workers hired, CPS knocks off 1% of the pension pick-up. – Provide housing vouchers to teachers, but the value of these vouchers is based on some set of metrics (where you agree to live, classroom performance, etc). Offering a teacher a voucher to live in Lincoln Park is no different than offering a developer a TIF in Lincoln Park. – CTU… Read more »
Nixit, now your talkin’! Usually its the “aren’t we great and aren’t they stupid” arguments here and rarely more thoughtful than that. You’re actually giving some real bargaining-chip thought to the CTU striker demands here. Bravo; let’s hope others chime-in! Maybe someone who can bring your ideas to the table will start listening/reading and solving this mess.
Nixit, watch out or we’ll start a petition drive to make you the city’s negotiator.
A resounding “yes” to all of Nixit’s proposals. I am among those who suspect that this strike is as much a CTU membership drive as it is anything else. Thus, when they rejected these proposals, they would essentially be admitting it to everyone.
Sounds real good at face value. I would add one more question to see if they show compassion or just greed. This question pertains to retired teachers/administrators also /police/fire/etc. Would you be willing to have a small nominal tax on your pensions to help shore up non retirees/salaries/etc within your district to help out? Chicago would help Chicago/Rockford helps Rockford. Their answer would show if they are willing to help their own or not. Money would stay within the district and not go to Springfield. They are in solidarity now but is it to each their own. Family helps family.… Read more »
You are correct. They’re trying to bargain for the employer & pay they want instead of the employer & pay they’ve got. Kind of scary that public opinion – at least within the city limits – is on their side. It’s sure as heck not on their side outside of Chicago city limits. My wife was getting ready to send emails to my kids’ suburban teachers threatening them with non-violent retribution if they chose to ever follow their CTU’s compatriot’s lead. I had to stop her from going crazy on my kids’ teachers, who have no plans to even strike… Read more »