CTU and CPS have agreed to two new Memorandums of Understanding that will improve substitute teacher coverage. One relates to the number of days retirees can substitute teach and the other provides new pay provisions to help cover parental leaves under the new 12-week leave policy.
Chicago Teachers Union welcomes significant agreement as important step toward historic partnership with district leaders.
CHICAGO–On Thursday, Acero Educators are expected to vote overwhelmingly to approve a tentative agreement with the Acero Charter Schools, ushering in a new era for the operator and its relationship with educators, their students and the educational community it serves. This development stands in stark contrast to the obstacles erected by CICS and Christopher House charter school as educators there pursue the same common-sense contract provisions that Acero and district educators now enjoy.
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.
Nothing prevents expanded parental leave from happening for our educators and support staff — except for the mayor’s obvious bias towards our overwhelmingly female and female-oriented workers in our schools.
Randi Weingarten, who heads up union of 1.7 million teachers and support staff, to join educators, allies to demand CPS parental leave that mirrors what mayor offered to City workers – but has now been indefinitely delayed for educators, support staff.
This resolution was adopted by the CTU House of Delegates at its January 11, 2023 meeting.
Mayor Lightfoot has once again interfered with CPS operations and derailed a process that was scheduled to expand our paid parental leave rights by a factor of 6, from 2 weeks to 12, come January 25th.
On November 15, CPS officials told the CTU that CPS would recommend that the Board of Education vote to approve a new parental leave policy modeled on a similar policy available to city employees, starting on January 1st, 2023. The policy enables city workers to take up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave. In December, CPS further committed to the CTU that they were working to nail down details about the policy. Then, suddenly, in late December, the Department of Labor Relations reversed CPS’ position.
The struggle to expand parental/family leave rights has been a sustained demand at the bargaining table — and the opportunity to broaden those rights outside of contract negotiations has emerged in the course of the current mayor’s race.
