A key part of protecting our rights and enforcing our hard-won contracts is challenging management when they violate our bargaining agreements — and fighting these cases all the way through the arbitration process when necessary to secure and reinforce our rights. The CTU Grievance Department has a raft of new wins to report that protect our members in both the charter and district spaces.
REACH wins
Case 1:
A PAT at Moos Elementary was issued a developing rating. The principal falsified the final observation, claiming it took place on a day that the teacher was absent from school. A settlement was achieved in advance of arbitration to rescind the rating.
Case 2:
A tenured teacher at Corliss had her rating lowered. The teacher’s observations were not separated by 3 months, as the contract requires for teachers on biennial evaluation plans. CPS initially denied the grievance, claiming that the “9-day shortfall represents a de minimis violation that does not warrant overturning the rating.” CPS has raised that defense in other REACH procedure violation cases. Arbitrators have rejected it and held that the contractual evaluation procedure requirements are mandatory, and CPS’s failure to follow them requires a rating to be overturned. Prior to arbitration, CPS agreed to a settlement whereby the teacher’s rating was rescinded.
Case 3:
A tenured teacher at Schmid was issued a developing rating. The principal failed to share written feedback or hold a post-observation conference from a December observation until June. A settlement was achieved in advance of arbitration to rescind the rating.
Case 4:
A high school program coordinator had her rating lowered. In performing her observations, her school administration used the teaching evaluation framework, despite the fact that she did not teach any academic classes. She should have been evaluated using the educational support specialist framework. She was also issued performance task scores for students she never taught. Prior to arbitration, CPS agreed to a settlement whereby the Program Coordinator’s rating was rescinded.
South Shore HS IB Teacher Work Settlement
Eleven IB teachers at South Shore were required to perform 3 hours of work at home during the summer in advance of an IB PD meeting, but were not paid. Settlement achieved where they were paid for the mandatory at-home work.
Nancy B. Jefferson PSRP layoffs
Two longtime PSRP delegates at Nancy B. Jefferson were laid off in retaliation for their union advocacy. The Union filed grievances and ULPs contesting the layoffs. A settlement was finalized prior to trial such that both paras were returned to Nancy B. Jefferson as of the first day following spring break and will be issued back pay.
Heffernan Elementary
A teacher was offered a position at Heffernan ES in August 2020. She performed the duties of a full-time teacher for 23 days before she was eventually staffed into a teaching position. A grievance was filed on her behalf and a settlement was reached in her favor resulting in back pay for the work that she performed prior to being staffed.
Substitute Teacher Pay Settlement
A substitute teacher was assigned to teach in a temporarily vacant position at Nancy B. Jefferson for 38 days. Under the contract and Board rules, vacancies that last longer than 20 days must be filled by a TAT who is paid at the regular teacher rate of pay. A settlement was secured prior to arbitration, whereby the substitute was issued approximately $2,400 in back pay — the difference between what she was paid as a substitute and what the TAT rate would have been.
Edwards School Missed Prep
Fifteen teachers assigned to Edwards Elementary School filed a grievance for missed preparation periods during the 2018-2019 school year. After much delay from the district, we were able to successfully resolve the grievance by securing compensation at the hourly rate for all of the impacted members.
In solidarity,
Stacy Davis Gates
CTU President
Jackson Potter
CTU Vice President
Maria Moreno
CTU Financial Secretary
Christel Williams
CTU Recording Secretary
Zeidre Foster
Grievance Department Director
