Bargaining Timeline

Our Path to a New Contract

When CTU officers and staff began planning this contract campaign, there was no sign that negotiations would happen in a whole new Chicago. Rahm seemed poised to continue his assault on our schools, our union and our city.

Years of protesting, talking to parents, community members and the press and, yes, striking began to pay off, though. The public embraced our call for the schools Chicago’s students deserve and the trials and tribulations of the last several years have positioned us to win a contract that enshrines fair pay and benefits, smaller class sizes, full staffing and justice for families. We now have some $1 billion in new funding for CPS, we have a new mayor, we have a new board of education and we have new challenges, too.

The timeline below illuminates the path we’re taking, guided by two motivations:

1. Union members in the schools drive the priorities of the campaign.
2. We meet our legal obligations under the infamous Section 4.5 of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act (IELRA).

The timeline above highlights where we are and where we’re going as we lead up to a potential strike and/or the resolution we’re seeking in a fair contract.