A possible strike may be initiated by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) in May after they hit an impasse with the Chicago Public Schools over a new contract. CTU's plan to strike next month was shared by CTU President Karen Lewis after they claimed that the contract doesn't benefit the teachers.
According to Reuters, a contract proposal was made by the CPS in January, but the teachers' union declined it. On Monday, Lewis claimed that there's a 100% chance of launching a strike in May. The proposal that was offered in January includes increasing teachers' contributions for pension costs and average salary increases. Lewis cited that the proposal doesn't guarantee any help for the CTU. The district is suffering negative $1.1 billion structural budget due to growing pension payments.
"The problem is these people want their cake and they want to eat it too," Lewis told a news conference, referring to school officials. "They want to stand on us, put their boots on our necks and tell us we have to like it, and that's unacceptable."
Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool has expressed his dismay over the possibility that the CTU could possibly start a rally next month. Claypool urged the teachers' union to negotiate and reach an agreement with the district instead of initiating a protest, WGNTV reported. The strike could happen in May 16 or during the fall. He also encouraged both parties to come up with a negotiation about the contract in the next 30 days. If the strike pushes through, it would be the third protest of CTU against the CPS since 2012.
"We cannot accept a situation when our standard of living is lower by the end of a multiyear contract than at the beginning," Lewis said. The CTU demands guarantee in the contract that would prevent layoffs, ABC 7 Chicago claims.
The CTU needs to alarm the CTU 10 days earlier before starting a strike. Lewis said that the union is set to meet with the CPS officials on Thursday for the bargaining agreement. However, she claimed that no negotiation will take place.
