By Eric Ruder | March 24, 2023 | Press Release
File under: Arne Duncan, New Orleans, Paul Vallas
CHICAGO — Former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Arne Duncan, never had the juice to run for Mayor of this great city. Yet, he clearly thinks he can influence how voters in the city vote in the upcoming election. As Vallas’s former partner-in-crime in destabilizing New Orleans’ public schools — through policies, actions, words and deeds — today’s endorsement of Vallas by former Education Secretary Duncan should not be a surprise. Arne Duncan called Hurricane Katrina in 2005 “the best thing that happened to the education system in New Orleans.”
By Eric Ruder | March 24, 2023 | News
File under: Brandon Johnson, CTU Delegates, Delegates Training
On Thursday, March 23, some 200 delegates gathered for the CTU’s annual spring delegates training conference to talk about building power from the school buildings to the district and charter networks to the fifth floor of City Hall.
By CTU Communications | March 22, 2023 | News, Press Release
File under: LAUSD: Los Angeles Unified School District, SEIU 99: Service Employees International Union Local 99, UTLA: United Teachers Los Angeles
The fight against unfair labor practices in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) began in earnest on Tuesday, March 21, with 30,000 school workers walking off the job. These workers, represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99, encompass the support staff across the entire school district. LAUSD’s continued disrespect, and their inability to care properly for the workers who make their mission possible, has also led to a solidarity strike by the 35,000 teachers represented by United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA). SEIU Local 73 and the Chicago Teachers Union are therefore proud to share our message of solidarity with SEIU Local 99 and UTLA.
By CTU Communications | March 21, 2023 | News, News Advisory
File under: Facilities, Green schools
9:00 am, Wednesday, March 22 press conference will outline the importance of Chicago Public Schools developing a Facilities Master Plan centered around the voices of parents, students, educators and the community at CPS headquarters.
By Jackson Potter, Vice President | March 10, 2023 | Uncategorized
File under: CTU Delegates, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Resolution
What a week! This week, mainstream media gave equal attention to a billionaire and millionaire endorsement of Paul Vallas (Ken Griffin and Willie Wilson) as the endorsement of our own Brandon Johnson by 45,000 workers from SEIU local 1.
By CTU Communications | March 9, 2023 | News, News Advisory, Press Release
7:00 pm, Thursday, March 9: Press conference outlining the threat that Paul Vallas poses to Chicago’s neighborhood public schools and unionized charter schools.
By CTU Communications | March 8, 2023 | News, Press Release
File under: Brandon Johnson, Ken Griffin, Paul Vallas, Willie Wilson
Willie Wilson and Ken Griffin know exactly what they’re getting when they back Paul Vallas, another Republican who will side always with millionaires and billionaires over Chicago’s working families.
By CTU Communications | March 8, 2023 | Uncategorized
This spring’s delegates training and school leaders training is built on the theme “Power at Every Level.”
By Eric Ruder | March 3, 2023 | News
File under: Black History Month, Blood Drive, Dr. Charles Drew, Lloyd Newman, Sickle Cell
On Friday, February 24, the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Teachers Union Foundation held a joint blood drive in honor of Black History Month. The Lloyd Newman Blood Drive for Sickle Cell Disease honored Black pioneers like Dr. Charles Drew and Lloyd Newman. This video of the Panel Discussion on the Science and Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease featured medical professionals and blood donation organizers.
By CTU Communications | March 3, 2023 | Movement, News, Press Release
File under: Gery Chico, Paul Vallas
The Vallas-Chico duo is bad for working families, bad for classrooms and will be dismal for Chicago.
By Eric Ruder | March 2, 2023 | News
File under: Brandon Johnson, chicago mayor
What a night! Not only did our CTU sibling Brandon Johnson convincingly beat incumbent Lori Lightfoot to earn a spot in the April 4 runoff for mayor of Chicago, but the CTU also had a number of victories in aldermanic races across the city. In 11 of the 17 races where the CTU made an endorsement, our candidate either won outright or made it into the April 4 runoff. We’ll again be encouraging people to vote early, to make voting plans, and to indicate that they’re all in for Brandon.
By CTU Communications | February 28, 2023 | Movement, News, Press Release
File under: Brandon Johnson
Thanks to an unprecedented, historic multi-generational, multi-ethnic working-class coalition demanding transformative change in Chicago, educator, CTU member, and public school parent Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson will advance to the April 4 runoff, continuing to spread his bold vision for a Better Chicago and grow his people-powered winning coalition.
By CTU Communications | February 27, 2023 | Movement, News
File under: Brandon Johnson, Political, Solidarity
In recent weeks, CTU members fanned out across the city — on foot and electronically — to make the case to thousands of voters about the importance of investing in schools, housing the unhoused, health care, effective public transportation, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental protections. Brandon’s campaign is the most diverse, multi-generational, and inspirational we have seen in a long while. This outreach moved people closer to an inclusive and equitable vision of the schools and the city our students deserve.
By Richard Fowler | February 24, 2023 | News
File under: Brandon Johnson, Election
With just days to go until the hotly contested Mayoral Election, our union brother and former middle school educator, Brandon Johnson, has the righteous wind behind his back. Coming in a solid second place in all the most recent polls, Brandon’s campaign for mayor has taken on some real momentum thanks to the sweat equity put in by educators, healthcare professionals, city employees, and working folks throughout this city.
By CTU Communications | February 24, 2023 | Grievance Wins, News
File under: COVID, Grievance, ISL: Instructional Support Leader, NBCT: National Board Certified Teacher
As a result of CPS gross mismanagement under Mayor Lightfoot, educators with preexisting conditions were put in harm’s way during the Covid-19 pandemic.
By CTU Communications | February 21, 2023 | ACTS, News, Press Release
File under: Bilingual Education, Greg Abbott, immigrant students, Ron DeSantis
8:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 22: Press conference to demand great attention be paid by CPS, City Hall, and Charter operators to the classroom resources and wraparound services necessary to meet the needs of newly placed migrants in Chicago.
By CTU Grievance Department | February 17, 2023 | Grievance Wins, News
File under: COVID, Grievance, Telework Accommodations
Union staff just won about $9,000 in back pay for our member Diane McQueen. The settlement is restitution for the weeks that CPS forced her to take a leave of absence in order to protect her health during the Covid crisis.
By Jackson Potter | February 17, 2023 | News
File under: Brandon Johnson, Jackson Potter, Paul Vallas
The privatization and destabilization of our schools was started by none other than current mayoral candidate and front-runner Paul Vallas. We must vote NO on Vallas and the havoc he will unleash on our city.
By CTU Communications | February 16, 2023 | Enforcement Guidance
File under: Contract enforcement, Delegate
CTU staff provided these comprehensive answers to important questions raised by delegates during the February 8, 2023 House of Delegates meeting.
By CTU Communications | February 15, 2023 | News, Press Release
File under: educational funding, JB Pritzker
CTU commends Gov. Pritzker for boosting early childhood education funding but urges the state to do more.
By Maria Moreno, Financial Secretary | February 15, 2023 | News
File under: FVP: Functional Vice President, Retiree CTU Members, Union democracy
Members of the Rules and Elections Committee counted the mail in ballots for the Retiree Functional VP election between Howard Heath and Herman Johnson. Congratulations to Howard Heath for his election to the three-year term ending June 30, 2025.
By CTU Communications | February 7, 2023 | News, News Advisory
File under: Karen GJ Lewis
“Two years ago today, students and families of this city lost a champion; educators lost a fierce leader, and the labor movement lost a friend and a true trade unionist…
By Daniel Burke and Paula Barajas | February 3, 2023 | News
File under: Chicago municipal election, Daniel Burke, Lori Torres, Paula Barajas
CTU members Daniel Burke and Paula Barajas are two of hundreds of rank-and-file members out in the field, knocking on doors, supporting our mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson, 36th Ward aldermanic candidate Lori Torres Whitt and other education champions seeking to transform city hall this year. Read their report from the field.
By Chris Geovanis | February 1, 2023 | News
File under: Lori Lightfoot, Parental Leave
Earlier today, we sent a letter to Emily’s List president Laphonza Butler and her board members, urging them to reverse course on their endorsement of Lori Lightfoot, at least until the mayor does what’s right by tens of thousands of public workers in CPS.
By Chicago Teachers Union | January 31, 2023 | Uncategorized
At a time when the teaching of historical truth is under attack in cities and states across the country, it is more essential than ever that we affirm the importance of Black history here in Chicago. Black History month events and materials provide an opportunity to bring into focus this history that’s essential for students year round.
