Today, we are pleased to announce an interim agreement reached between CTU and CPS to rectify a pressing and frustrating concern for members: the Thanksgiving Holiday pay discrepancies.
For decades, we have been unable to bargain on issues such as the school year and payroll calendar, but thanks to our leadership, advocacy and organizing, that has all changed, and our full bargaining rights have been restored.
This school year’s academic and payroll calendar was implemented while former Mayor Lightfoot held control of CPS. This interim agreement will result in members receiving a nine-day check for the Thanksgiving pay period instead of a seven-day check, as CPS had planned. While imperfect, the CTU’s Executive Board and staff believe this agreement is the best solution for this school year.
As we move towards bargaining our new contract with CPS, the district has agreed to work collaboratively with CTU and CTPF toward adopting a payroll calendar for the next school year that provides members with equal biweekly checks throughout the work year, setting the stage for systematically fixing the problem in our new contract.
This interim agreement continues our fight forward since the election of a mayor who centers the voices of educators, students and working families. Since April, we have achieved 12 weeks of paid parental leave, close to $1 million in outstanding settlements with CPS, Public Health Emergency (“PHE”) and additional sick days, inclusion of teacher residents into our bargaining unit, and a new collaborative spirit among key CPS department heads.
As we approach the upcoming bargaining season, we look forward to working with the district and CTPF to negotiate a new payroll calendar that provides members with equal biweekly checks for next school year and beyond. Here are some fast facts about today’s interim agreement:
Monday, Nov. 20, 2023 will be converted to a teacher-directed professional development day that employees can, at their own discretion, attend virtually. Alternatively, employees can use a personal business day for Nov. 20. To accomplish this, June 7, 2024 will be converted to a principal-directed PD day, and June 10, 2024 will be an unpaid vacation day instead of a school improvement day. This means the last day of work for 208-day employees will be June 7. (See the MOU’s text for details on how this will work for schools that flexed June 10.)
Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 will be converted to a paid vacation day. One day of spring break (March 25, 2024) will be converted to an unpaid vacation day.
Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023 will remain an unpaid vacation day. Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving will remain paid holidays.
As mentioned above, CPS, CTU, and CTPF are working collaboratively toward the goal of amending the CPS payroll calendar such that, beginning next fiscal year (SY24-25), salaried CTU bargaining unit employees will receive their salaries in equal biweekly checks across their work years (e.g., 208 days for most school-based employees).
