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What are the issues?
Are the Mayor, Duncan and the Board doing all they
can to keep our schools open?
What are the facts???
Teachers and school employees do not want a strike!
The leadership of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU)
has been negotiating since last spring to try to get
a good contract for our members. In October, our membership
overwhelmingly voted down the Board’s offer.
The Union and Board have gone back to the table with
the help of a mediator but, no real progress has been
made.
- What do teachers and school employees want? CTU
members want what we all want: financial security,
affordable healthcare for ourselves and our loved
ones, and decent working conditions that allow us
to do our job well. We want respect.
- What do you, the families of our students, want?
Good schools with good teachers. We know that the
only way to get and keep good teachers is with good
salaries, benefits and working conditions. Now,
many new teachers only last a few years in Chicago
before they go to suburbs where salaries for experienced
teachers are much higher, classes are smaller and
facilities are better.
- CTU members fear that a long-term contract will
make it harder to improve the poor conditions that
exist in many of our schools. Our members are angry
about the poor pay raises we received over the past
8 years (2% and 3%). We have seen little or no improvement
in working conditions during this time. We are frustrated
about how little support the Board gives to our
members who work directly with children on a daily
basis.
- Teachers and school employees are worried about
how increased health insurance costs will cut into
our raises. Higher employee contributions, co-pay,
deductibles, and prescription drugs will reduce
the 4 % raise that was negotiated.
What can you do to help us and help your
children?
- Call the Mayor’s office (312) 744-3300
- Call Arne Duncan’s office (773) 553-1500
and Board President Michael Scott’s office
(773-553-1600)
Tell them to negotiate a fair settlement with the
teachers union. Tell them all our children deserve
the best.
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