Epic charter students rally today for fired teachers
EPIC students call on charter management to reverse retaliatory firings of four teachers, including one educator identifying as non-heterosexual and targeted for his support of LGBTQIA+ students.
Urban Prep educators win agreement with management, ending two-day strike
Teachers and staff in predominantly Black, all boys charter network win long sought-after special ed protections to which 30% of Urban Prep students are eligible, while EPIC students call on charter operator to reverse retaliatory firings of high school teachers. 4:00...Charter headlines for the week of May 31, 2021
Members at Urban Prep voted unanimously to strike unless management comes to the table with a more reasonable offer. CTU pressure pushed ASPIRA to retract non-renewal notices for Union members. Epic Academy terminated four of the most active CTU members on the bargaining team, prompting members to prepare to strike. Youth Connections Leadership Academy has reversed course on closing the school. CTU pushed the General Assembly to close a loophole that allowed ChiArts and other contract schools to skip contributions to the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund.
CTU educators consider striking Epic charter in wake of retaliatory firings of union leaders
Charter operator fired three key rank-and-file bargaining team members, as workers prepared to ratify first contract to improve supports for special education, classroom resources. 6:30 a.m. Wed., June 2: socially distanced press conference with parents, students,...Charter school headlines for the week of Jan. 11, 2021
Acero and Passages charter schools are delaying reopening for in-person instruction until a series of scientific COVID metrics are met. Namaste has agreed to bargain over reopening and CTU reached an agreement with Epic Academy to reduce the extra hours members had been required to work, without pay, for parent teacher conferences.
Charter school headlines for the week of Dec. 6, 2020
CTU members at Namaste are cautiously optimistic that their organizing against in-person instruction has paid off. Educators at Epic Academy kicked off negotiations this week on their first collective bargaining agreement. Acero parents and teachers continue to fight staff layoffs. And everyone is wondering where Urban Prep’s $1.2 million in federal stimulus loans went because it hasn’t shown up in classrooms.
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 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.
EPIC charter educators vote overwhelmingly to unionize, join CTU
The results are overwhelming: 90 percent of rank-and-file educators at EPIC charter school have voted to unionize and join the CTU.
