CTU is Going on Strike

[NorthSideSox72]

NSS, do you have any news link about this? I can't find anything

Well, as I noted, if you look at the Trib articles (I've clicked on so many now), you will see they are arguing about who they would hire for those slots. So, apparently, they have not been hired.

 

But a while back, before the strike talk got really hot, Brizard was saying they needed to negotiate how many would actually get hired and who they were - but that is vague, and I apologize, I don't have links to that stuff from a while ago.

 

Whether or not they WILL be is apparently an open question. As I said, if CPS is really going to hire enough new teachers to make up for the longer school day and give teachers more or less the same hours, then I am in agreement that the raise demands need to be restricted to COLA as a baseline, and then the rest is up for discussion.

 

[StrangeSox]

The numbers I've seen along the way, were that they wanted 19% originally, and came down to 16%. Now I am seeing those much lower numbers bandied about.

 

The CPS is the source of the 16% figure and no one can seem to figure out how they really get there. They're offering 3% and three years of 2%, which works out to 9.3% over four years. It doesn't include the 4% COL that was in their contract that they've been denied.

 

[StrangeSox]

Or get another year experience for that automatic increase.

 

It's a matrix, not a one-dimensional line. You'll max out if you never get anything above a bachelor's degree.

[NorthSideSox72]

The CPS is the source of the 16% figure and no one can seem to figure out how they really get there. They're offering 3% and three years of 2%, which works out to 9.3% over four years. It doesn't include the 4% COL that was in their contract that they've been denied.

And really, this whole way of doing things by pre-setting numbers like that is a crappy way to do things. Set a baseline set of salaries per level/seniority/degree/merit, agree on a market basket, and say in the contract they get a COLA based on that basket for the length of the contract. Then, seperately, if they want to argue for a raise beyond that, that can be up for discussing and adjustments to the original baselines can be set. But predeterming raises like that seem, to me, to be a stupid way to do things.

 

[StrangeSox]

Salaries are baselined like this:

 

 

The %age increase, if I understand it correctly, would adjust every number in the matrix by X%. The CTU is arguing for the 4% they were denied as well as over future COL's.

[CrimsonWeltall]

Well, as I noted, if you look at the Trib articles (I've clicked on so many now), you will see they are arguing about who they would hire for those slots. So, apparently, they have not been hired.

 

The ones I've seen have all said that the city agreed to hire from the pool of teachers who were fired in 2010/2011/2012.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/07/24/dea...public-schools/

 

If the city went back on that plan and the current teachers are getting a 90 minute lengthening of the day, I'd expect we'd be hearing way more about that from the CTU end.

[MurcieOne]

And really, this whole way of doing things by pre-setting numbers like that is a crappy way to do things. Set a baseline set of salaries per level/seniority/degree/merit, agree on a market basket, and say in the contract they get a COLA based on that basket for the length of the contract. Then, seperately, if they want to argue for a raise beyond that, that can be up for discussing and adjustments to the original baselines can be set. But predeterming raises like that seem, to me, to be a stupid way to do things.

 

I like and appreciate your practicality.

[StrangeSox]

The ones I've seen have all said that the city agreed to hire from the pool of teachers who were fired in 2010/2011/2012.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/07/24/dea...public-schools/

 

If the city went back on that plan and the current teachers are getting a 90 minute lengthening of the day, I'd expect we'd be hearing way more about that from the CTU end.

 

CTU's "bargaining update" from August 22nd indicates otherwise

http://www.ctunet.com/blog/excerpt/Contrac...e_8_22_2012.pdf

 

After a successful mass rally, a 90 percent strike vote, and a favorable Fact Finder’s Report, the Board signed an “Interim Agreement” on July 23, 2012 in which they promised to limit instructional time to 296 minutes in Elementary School and 251 minutes in High School. They also promised to hire extra teachers from a pool of displaced CTU members in order to properly staff the schools. However, our experience in Track E, where school has been back since August 6th, has shown us that many principals have not received adequate positions to operate a “Better Day.” Teachers are being asked to work through lunch and preps, keep students in class during ‘recess,’ and fill the day with ‘club-time’ and other non-instructional activity.

[NorthSideSox72]

The ones I've seen have all said that the city agreed to hire from the pool of teachers who were fired in 2010/2011/2012.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/07/24/dea...public-schools/

 

If the city went back on that plan and the current teachers are getting a 90 minute lengthening of the day, I'd expect we'd be hearing way more about that from the CTU end.

I distinctly remember Karen Lewis saying at some news conference that the CTU was not happy that the hiring of the added teachers would not be done the way they wanted, not based on previous layoffs or whatever. I guess to find this I'd have to search through all the previous statements from Karen Lewis, which is only slightly higher than death-by-bear-mauling on my list of things I'd like to do. On that note, the CTU is not helping themselves having a spokesperson who is as unlikeable and pompous in her appearances as she is.

 

[ptatc]

And really, this whole way of doing things by pre-setting numbers like that is a crappy way to do things. Set a baseline set of salaries per level/seniority/degree/merit, agree on a market basket, and say in the contract they get a COLA based on that basket for the length of the contract. Then, seperately, if they want to argue for a raise beyond that, that can be up for discussing and adjustments to the original baselines can be set. But predeterming raises like that seem, to me, to be a stupid way to do things.

It is very poor way of doing things. This is part of the reason for the strike.

 

I haven't read all of the posts but the strike is essentially centered around one issue: review. The money and hours are all bsically agreed upon. What they can't agree upon is who reviews the effectiveness of teaching in the classroom. The administration wants it to be an adminstrator only and the union wants there to be an administrator and peer team.

[flippedoutpunk]

Ill admit, im not sympathetic towards the teachers' cause because like some of you, I have friends/family in the CPS and we see/hear about their work week/weekends almost daily. I find it hilarious that my CPS friends that just 3 months ago were bragging about being in Paris for the summer, and going shopping literally every weekend for new Tory Burch purses at Old Orchard mall, are taking pictures of themselves downtown with the rest of the oppressed teachers.

[CrimsonWeltall]

CTU's "bargaining update" from August 22nd indicates otherwise

http://www.ctunet.com/blog/excerpt/Contrac...e_8_22_2012.pdf

 

What does this mean? The principals aren't making the hires they're supposed to? It would be nice if there was some data about how many hires of the 477 have been made. I would not be surprised if they had not made all 477 hires in the few weeks leading up to the school year.

[ptatc]

They also don't pay into the SS fund, so it's not like they lost the money.

 

No but we not get any choice in the matter either. I lose all of the social security I did pay for the years that I worked prior to teaching. Granted I teach at the university level not the CPS but many of us do lose alot of money due to the screwed up pension system.

[StrangeSox]

I can only google so fast!

[Y2HH]

No but we not get any choice in the matter either. I lose all of the social security I did pay for the years that I worked prior to teaching. Granted I teach at the university level not the CPS but many of us do lose alot of money due to the screwed up pension system.

 

I don't think you do, actually. You are still entitled to what you put in. You're pension doesn't change that. You are just not eligible to contribute more or continue taking part.

[Balta1701]

The numbers I've seen along the way, were that they wanted 19% originally, and came down to 16%. Now I am seeing those much lower numbers bandied about.

 

Asking for a simple COLA seems pretty reasonable to me (leaving aside the extra hours for the moment). And if they didn't get COLA's before, then catch-up is also worth discussing. Where it gets sticky is raises over COLA numbers, and whether or not they are associated with more hours.

I'm also still trying to find where the 16% comes from other than the city.

 

The only number I've seen in print with specifics I've posted in this thread, and it comes down to 9% raise over 4 years, which is just a cost of living adjustment.

[MurcieOne]

I'm also still trying to find where the 16% comes from other than the city.

 

The only number I've seen in print with specifics I've posted in this thread, and it comes down to 9% raise over 4 years, which is just a cost of living adjustment.

 

I haven't seen 16% number anywhere else than attributed to the City. Then again, I haven't seen the CTU coming out and attacking that figure either.

 

I still haven't found where that 16% number comes from.

[southsider2k5]

I haven't seen 16% number anywhere else than attributed to the City. Then again, I haven't seen the CTU coming out and attacking that figure either.

 

I still haven't found where that 16% number comes from.

 

I'm guessing it is an old number (remember they started at 30%, then 25%). If the media isn't keeping up, they could be mixing up the two numbers.

 

[Balta1701]

I'm guessing it is an old number (remember they started at 30%, then 25%). If the media isn't keeping up, they could be mixing up the two numbers.

The problem of course is, if that is a mistake, and the real city offer is the 9% that ABC printed, then anyone reporting the 16% is making the city's offer look better than it really is, and thus making the teachers look worse than they really are.

[flippedoutpunk]

So Romney and Walker are with Rahm, and Obama is with Rahm against the union. The Mayans were right....

[Soxbadger]

So Romney and Walker are with Rahm, and Obama is with Rahm against the union. The Mayans were right....

 

haha

 

Its actually the CTU is terribly run and basically picked the worst year to have a political showdown. Govt spending is on everyone's mind, and this gives all parties a nice platform to speak about. Conservatives get to talk about how they should end unions, liberals get to talk about how they still care about unions, they just need be tougher on govt spending, especially when its for perks that are perceived to be unnecessary.

 

My office is primarily democrat/liberal and the teachers union, especially Lewis, is getting no love.

[Balta1701]

Seriously, when's a good time to do this? They probably had cause to do a walkout a year ago or whenever it was that the city broke the last contract and didn't give them the raise that was in the contract. The economy's been depressed for basically 5 years now, and I'll bet they got more generous salary increases when there was the last negotiation during the housing boom. When would that statement be inapplicable?

[Harry Chappas]

Man, there is a lot of uninformed B.S. in here, and out there on social media. Regardless of where you stand on this, let's clarify some things people keep missing...

 

1. I keep seeing people mention the fact that the teachers want a 16% raise, while private industry founders, and how that is just whining and being spoiled, etc. This is so thick with falsehood it is hard to know where to start. First, a lot of people seem to forget that the extended school day means teachers are working 20%+ more hours - so a 16% raise is still an actual step DOWN in pay per hour. And oh by the way, the extended school day that will cost more money (salaries and other effects) was NOT the union's idea, it was the city's. Second, it completely ignores that both the CTU and the City officials are BOTH saying, salary isn't even the key issue here. But the money numbers are easy to throw around in some shallow attempt at discourse, so, lazy wins the day. Then there's the fact that private industry by nature is going to have lows AND highs economically, with huge opportunity for both. So where are the teacher bonuses when things go well? I mean, if they should suffer when others do, why aren't they also getting some of the success when things are going well? Can't have it both ways.

 

 

How much of this longer workday is spent instructing students?

[BigSqwert]

How much of this longer workday is spent instructing students?

Huh? So you're saying teachers should only get paid for the time that they are literally in the classroom teaching?

 

Are you required to do administrative tasks for your job on your own time and dime? You reconcile your expense reports over the weekend without getting paid?

[Harry Chappas]

Huh? So you're saying teachers should only get paid for the time that they are literally in the classroom teaching?

 

Are you required to do administrative tasks for your job on your own time and dime? You reconcile your expense reports over the weekend without getting paid?

 

I just want to know additional responsibilities are associated with now working a 7.5 hour workday?