Strike: Today, Chicago Teachers will walk out for the second time in 7 years

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Chicago Teachers Will Go On Strike, Capping Years Of Social Justice Activism

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For the second time in seven years, Chicago Public Schools teachers will be on strike starting Thursday, walking out of class, they say, in the name of better schools.

Gathered on the stage of the union hall on Wednesday, the Chicago Teachers Union said its delegates were in full support of moving forward with a strike. Delegates had already authorized the walkout and set a date so it would have taken a reversal to cancel the strike.

"We have not achieved what we need to bring justice and high quality schools to the children and teachers of Chicago," said CTU President Jesse Sharkey. "We need to have the tools we need to do the job at our schools. We need pay and benefits that will give us dignity and respect. We are on strike until we can do better."

Altogether, more than 30,000 workers will be on the picket lines. This includes 7,500 teacher aides, custodians and security guards who members of SEIU Local 73. SEIU said Wednesday evening it had rejected CPS' contract offer and planned to strike on Thursday along with CTU.

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Some 300,000 students who attend district-run schools will be impacted. Another 62,000 students who attend charter and contract schools run by private organizations will not be affected

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Speaking at a press conference Wednesday, Chicago Board of Education President Miguel del Valle argued that the union had essentially gotten what it wanted. "They were concerned about the staffing issues, they were concerned about class size," he asked. "The mayor responded ... what's left?" But the union maintains that, even this week, the offers being made by the school district don't do enough to address their demands.

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