Acero Educators Overwhelmingly Ratify New Contract, While Struggle With Other Operators Intensifies

CHICAGO–Fully 98% of educators at Acero ratified a new contract on June 8, ushering in a new era for the operator and its relationship with educators, their students and the educational community it serves. Also this week, 96% of educators at Chicago International Charter School (CICS) and 94% of educators at Christopher House voted to authorize a strike in the event that they can’t secure a fair agreement at the bargaining table. “This agreement stands as a model for what can be done when educators, school-related personnel, and management come together to do what is best for the students and families that they serve,” said CTU President Stacy Davis Gates.

Charter school headlines for the week of Nov. 30

Good news for CTU members at CICS Civitas who, just before Thanksgiving, received their proper raise and retroactive pay stemming from our strike. Not so good news at Latino Youth, where management has brought on the same big anti-union law firm CPS used to stonewall district negotiations. CTU-ACTS Chair Chris Baehrend authored a chapter about our historic charter strikes in the new book, Strike for the Common Good.

Charter school headlines for week of Nov. 16, 2020

The CTU New Organizing Committee met with charter school educators interested in unionizing. CTU members at Aspira are strategizing how to deal with colocation efforts. Acero Sped and ELL educators participated in a Know Your Rights training and are beginning to reach out to parents. Negotiations on our first contract with Epic are expected to begin after Thanksgiving

Charter headlines for the week of Nov. 9

Namaste is the latest charter school to experience a COVID-19 outbreak. After months of negotiations, and a request for a mediator, we are seeing progress in CICS-Civitas talks. Instituto Health and Science Career Academy is hiring a psychologist to comply with the CTU contract. Three laid off special education apprentices have been recalled at Acero, after members organized against the layoffs.

Charter school headlines for the week of Oct. 26

Charter school headlines for the week of Oct. 26

CTU leaders from Acero are fighting layoffs. The CTU New Organizing Committee and the Union’s Charter Division are both taking big steps. Meanwhile, Epic Academy and Namaste Charter School have each made important new agreements with the Union.

Charter operator moves to unilaterally close ChicagoQuest HS, with no input from families or staff

Charter operator moves to unilaterally close ChicagoQuest HS, with no input from families or staff

Chicago International Charter School board continues to balk at providing a portion of $35 million in public education dollars to support long under-resourced school serving Black and Brown families 3:45 p.m., Tues., Sept. 15: Press availability, CICS educators Via...
CTU frontline educators battle deep staffing cuts at CICS charter schools

CTU frontline educators battle deep staffing cuts at CICS charter schools

1:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 23: Press availability via Zoom. CICS management continues to hoard $35 million in public education funds, while proposing layoffs that will undercut students’ educations, derail ability to support special needs students. CHICAGO—CTU...