AFT’s Weingarten on the Chicago Teachers Union Tentative Agreement

WASHINGTON—A statement from AFT President Randi Weingarten on the recent  tentative agreement reached between the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Public Schools. CTU members must ratify the four-year deal before the agreement will take effect.

“After more than 500 days of tough negotiations, the educators of Chicago have—on the eve of a strike—reached an agreement that makes important steps forward for students and educators alike.

“CTU worked tirelessly to ensure any deal includes resources and support for students. Schools will now have additional educators for young children in large classes. The contract limits school closures and their corrosive effect on students, families and neighborhoods; and it increases student access to school counselors.

“For years, the Chicago community has spoken out against zero-tolerance discipline policies and the overutilization of suspensions and expulsions. In this deal, the educators of Chicago and CPS have decided to forge a new course together and implement practices of restorative justice as well as social and emotional learning.

“The contract also takes steps to value the voice and experience of Chicago’s hardworking educators.

“Chicago’s educators not only teach the city’s students but also look out for their well-being by coming to school early and staying late. Educators are the glue that keeps this city together. For them, this agreement provides greater job security and a much-deserved raise. It also ensures that these educators can retire with peace of mind; the agreement preserves their pension—a crucial step to these workers who do not receive Social Security.

“Negotiations have been hard fought in Chicago, but made even more difficult because of the toxic and austere environment created by Gov. Rauner. Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis and the entire CTU bargaining team have been heroic and tenacious in the work they did at the bargaining table with CPS to reach agreement on many of the issues critical to improving the lives of Chicago students and their families. This deal provides an opportunity for students to get more of the supports and resources necessary to learn and thrive, and it honors the contribution Chicago’s educators make every day.

“This tentative agreement once again codifies what is possible when both sides remain dedicated to the collective bargaining process and to doing what is best for students, their families and educators.”