Chicago Teachers Union gives 'another overwhelming Yes' in strike vote...
Chicago teachers utilized one of the days during the Chicago Teachers Strike of 2012 to march through communities on the North Side, West Side and South Side to build support. Above, teachers begin their West Side march from Marshall High School (in background) during the 2012 strike.It was Monday, September 26, 2016, before the Chicago Teachers Union officially announced that the latest strike authorization vote was "Yes". Now the union's House of Delegates (of which this reporter is a member) will meet on September 28 to set a strike date and discuss other important matters.
Following the voting and the vote count, the union issues a press release to the media and an internal bulletin to members. Both are reprinted below here:
PRESS RELEASE...
NEWS RELEASE... IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Stephanie Gadlin
September 26, 2016 312-329-6250
Teachers vote 95 percent to authorize strike to resolve contract dispute... CTU House of Delegates to meet Wednesday to discuss possible strike date
CHICAGO-The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) today released totals of its recent strike authorization vote. Now, its governing body will meet in a special session on Wednesday, Sept. 28 to determine the next steps, including whether to issue a 10-day strike notice to the Chicago Board of Education. If that happens, the first possible date for a teachers' strike would be Oct. 11. This would be the third work stoppage by the city's public school educators since Mayor Rahm Emanuel took office in 2011.
The Union's Rules & Election Committee reported that on a 90.6 percent turnout, 95.6 percent of votes cast voted in favor to strike. This should come as no surprise to the Board, the mayor or parents because educators have been angry about the school-based cuts that have hurt special education students, reduced librarians, counselors, social workers and teachers' aides, and eliminated thousands of teaching positions.
The CTU House of Delegates will meet this week to discuss the next steps in the contract fight. CTU officers and rank-and-file members will conduct a press conference at the conclusion of that session to share the results of those deliberations.
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The Chicago Teachers Union represents nearly 27,000 teachers and educational support personnel working in the Chicago Public Schools, and by extension, the more than 400,000 students and families they serve. The CTU is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Federation of Teachers and is the third largest teachers local in the United States and the largest local union in Illinois. For more information please visit CTU's website at www.ctunet.com.
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A CTU BULLETIN ON SEPTEMBER 26 REPORTED AS FOLLOWS:
Teachers vote 95 percent to authorize strike to resolve contract dispute
CTU House of Delegates to meet Wednesday to discuss possible strike date
CHICAGO—The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) today released totals of its recent strike authorization vote. Now, its governing body will meet in a special session on Wednesday, Sept. 28 to determine the next steps, including whether to issue a 10-day strike notice to the Chicago Board of Education. If that happens, the first possible date for a teachers’ strike would be Oct. 11. This would be the third work stoppage by the city’s public school educators since Mayor Rahm Emanuel took office in 2011.
The Union’s Rules & Election Committee reported that on a 90.6 percent turnout, 95.6 percent of votes cast voted in favor to strike. This should come as no surprise to the Board, the mayor or parents because educators have been angry about the school-based cuts that have hurt special education students, reduced librarians, counselors, social workers and teachers’ aides, and eliminated thousands of teaching positions.
The CTU House of Delegates will meet this week to discuss the next steps in the contract fight. CTU officers and rank-and-file members will conduct a press conference at the conclusion of that session to share the results of those deliberations.
