page_title: 2019 Chicago Public Schools Strike
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: 2019 Chicago Public Schools Strike / Background
caption_attribution_description: Chicago Teachers Union Rally 10-14-19_3748
context_page_description: The 2019 Chicago Public Schools strike was a labor dispute between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union and the Service Employees International Union Local 73 that lasted 14 days. The strike began on October 17, 2019 when both unions failed to reach a contract agreement with Chicago Public Schools over compensation, benefits, staffing, wrap-around services such as counselors, nurses, and librarians, and caps on class sizes. On October 31, the strike officially ended when the mayor and the Chicago Teachers Union reached a tentative agreement allowing students to go back to class on Nov 1, 2019.
context_section_description: After the expiration of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) contract with the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) in June 2019, a contract dispute emerged. CPS initially offered the union a 14% raise over 5 years while the union was seeking 15% over 3 years. The district proposed a 1.5% increase in healthcare costs while the union sought to maintain their current contributions.  An independent fact-finder report suggested that the district offer a 16% raise over 5 years, and a 1% increase in healthcare costs. The district accepted the report, but the union rejected it.  On top of pay and healthcare, the two sides disagreed on the length of the contract; the district proposed a 5-year contract while the union proposed a 3-year contract.
  On September 24, 2019, CTU hosted a rally alongside SEIU Local 73 representing school support staff and Chicago Park District workers featuring Vermont senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Sanders was joined on the stage by city alderman, other labor activists, and actor John Cusack.
  On September 27, 2019, CTU members voted to authorize a potential strike starting on October 17 if a contract deal was not reached with 94% of its members voting in favor of a strike.  The union's top priorities in contract negotiations are reducing classroom size and increasing the number of support staff such as nurses, librarians and social worker).
  On July 16, 2019, SEIU Local 73 which represents the district's support staff such as custodians, bus aids, and security guards authorized a strike with a 97% approval vote from its members after contract negations stalled between the district and the union after their contract expired in June 2018.  The union cited work schedules, compensation, staffing and benefits as points of conflicts in their contract negotiations.
  On October 14, 2019, the CTU and SEIU Local 73 held a rally for a fair contract in downtown Chicago 3 days before the strike. Despite progress made over the weekend prior, both sides remained divided on class sizes and staffing shortages.
  On October 16, 2019, the CTU held its house of delegates meeting where the bargaining team presented the board's final offer. The union delegates voted to reject the district's latest contract proposal leading to the beginning of a joint strike with SEIU Local 73 at 12:01 am on October 17 leaving roughly over 300,000 students out of school.
  On October 16, 2019, CPS cancelled classes for October 17, 2019 in anticipation of the CTU strike. CTU delegates officially voted to go on strike hours afterwards.
caption: Chicago Teachers Unions, SEIU Local 73, and their supporters rally downtown for a fair contract on October 14th, 2019.
exif: {"Image Make": "Canon", "Image Model": "Canon EOS 30D", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "300", "Image YResolution": "300", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 (Windows)", "Image DateTime": "2019:10:15 18:19:38", "Image Artist": "unknown", "Image Copyright": "cemillerphotography", "Image ExifOffset": "264", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "878", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "6710", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/400", "EXIF FNumber": "63/10", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Aperture Priority", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "1600", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0221", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2019:10:14 18:27:51", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2019:10:14 18:27:51", "EXIF ShutterSpeedValue": "540241/62500", "EXIF ApertureValue": "331919/62500", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "-1", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "139/32", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Average", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "35", "EXIF ColorSpace": "Uncalibrated", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "3504", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "2336", "EXIF FocalPlaneXResolution": "233600/59", "EXIF FocalPlaneYResolution": "233600/59", "EXIF FocalPlaneResolutionUnit": "2", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF CameraOwnerName": "unknown", "EXIF BodySerialNumber": "1020713478", "EXIF LensSpecification": "[18, 135, 0/0, 0/0]", "EXIF LensModel": "18.0-135.0 mm"}