CTU members ratify new contract with 97% approval
Chicago Teachers Union members have overwhelmingly voted to ratify their new contract agreement with Chicago Public Schools, making official a deal that notches improvements for educators and students but leaves political turmoil in its wake.
After almost a year of negotiations, 97% of members who voted late last week approved the contract, according to the union. About 85% of the CTU's 27,000 eligible voting members participated.
Voting took place by paper ballot in schools and voting locations across the city on Thursday and Friday, and counting wrapped up over the weekend. The Board of Education will likely vote to approve the deal at its monthly meeting April 24.
CTU and CPS reached a tentative agreement in late March on a contract that gives teachers 4% to 5% raises in each of the deal's four years; lowers class sizes; provides extra pay for veteran educators; grants more planning time for elementary school teachers; increases funding for sports programs; and adds potentially hundreds of staff positions, including 90 librarians.
The contract is the CTU's first without a strike vote in 15 years, and ratification with 97% approval is much higher than other votes in that time. In 2019, 80% of voting members ratified a deal after an 11-day walkout. In 2016 it was 79% approval, and 72% in 2012.
There wasn't a serious threat of a labor stoppage this time — and the CTU had a friendly mayor in office in Brandon Johnson — but there was still significant strife.
Johnson and CPS CEO Pedro Martinez disagreed on how to pay for a CTU contract along with another couple of significant expenses.
Union leaders turned on Martinez as a result and began publicly blasting him.
Eventually, the saga led Johnson's entire handpicked school board to resign in October and his replacement board to fire Martinez in December.
Martinez's contract allowed him to stay on through June because he was fired without cause. He alleged in a lawsuit against the Board of Education that its members interfered with his job overseeing CTU negotiations.
In the end, Martinez and CTU President Stacy Davis Gates remained at odds, each continuing to publicly criticize each other.
The CTU's attention now turns to its internal leadership election in May. A rival slate is running against Davis Gates' team, whose caucus has led the union since 2010.