SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Chicago Teachers Union members strike outside the Chicago Public Schools headquarters in Chicago September 18, 2012. (REUTERS/John Gress)
Chicago Teachers Vote to End Strike (But Not the Fight)
Not a 'perfect contract' says union leader, but teachers 'thrilled to get back' to classrooms
Sep 18, 2012
The Chicago Teachers Union voted late Tuesday afternoon to end their labor strike which has lasted more than a week and return to their classrooms on Wednesday morning.
The union conceded that it was time to end the strike. Though they did not achieve all their demands, they confirmed that their fight for better schools, increased services for their students, and fair treatment for teaching professionals and their support staff would continue.
As the Chicago Tribune reports:
The voice vote was taken after some 800 delegates convened at a union meeting hall near Chinatown to discuss and debate a tentative contract. Union leaders had already signed off on the agreement with Chicago Public Schools.
"We said we couldn't solve all the problems. . .and it was time to suspend the strike," CTU President Karen Lewis said at a news conference after the vote.
"The issue is, we cannot get a perfect contract. There's no such thing as a contract that will make all of us" happy, Lewis said.
But "do we stay on strike forever until every little thing we want can be gotten?" she said.
"I'm so thrilled that people are going back, all of our members are glad to be back with their kids. It's a hard decision to make to go out, and for some people it's hard to make the decision to go back in," Lewis said.
Delegates poured out of the union hall singing "Solidarity Forever."
"I'm very excited. I miss my students. I'm relieved because I think this contract was better than what they offered," said America Olmedo, who teaches fourth- and fifth-grade bilingual classes. "They tried to take everything away."
Said Shay Porter, a teacher at the Henderson Academy elementary school: "We ignited the labor movement in Chicago."
# # #
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
The Chicago Teachers Union voted late Tuesday afternoon to end their labor strike which has lasted more than a week and return to their classrooms on Wednesday morning.
The union conceded that it was time to end the strike. Though they did not achieve all their demands, they confirmed that their fight for better schools, increased services for their students, and fair treatment for teaching professionals and their support staff would continue.
As the Chicago Tribune reports:
The voice vote was taken after some 800 delegates convened at a union meeting hall near Chinatown to discuss and debate a tentative contract. Union leaders had already signed off on the agreement with Chicago Public Schools.
"We said we couldn't solve all the problems. . .and it was time to suspend the strike," CTU President Karen Lewis said at a news conference after the vote.
"The issue is, we cannot get a perfect contract. There's no such thing as a contract that will make all of us" happy, Lewis said.
But "do we stay on strike forever until every little thing we want can be gotten?" she said.
"I'm so thrilled that people are going back, all of our members are glad to be back with their kids. It's a hard decision to make to go out, and for some people it's hard to make the decision to go back in," Lewis said.
Delegates poured out of the union hall singing "Solidarity Forever."
"I'm very excited. I miss my students. I'm relieved because I think this contract was better than what they offered," said America Olmedo, who teaches fourth- and fifth-grade bilingual classes. "They tried to take everything away."
Said Shay Porter, a teacher at the Henderson Academy elementary school: "We ignited the labor movement in Chicago."
# # #
The Chicago Teachers Union voted late Tuesday afternoon to end their labor strike which has lasted more than a week and return to their classrooms on Wednesday morning.
The union conceded that it was time to end the strike. Though they did not achieve all their demands, they confirmed that their fight for better schools, increased services for their students, and fair treatment for teaching professionals and their support staff would continue.
As the Chicago Tribune reports:
The voice vote was taken after some 800 delegates convened at a union meeting hall near Chinatown to discuss and debate a tentative contract. Union leaders had already signed off on the agreement with Chicago Public Schools.
"We said we couldn't solve all the problems. . .and it was time to suspend the strike," CTU President Karen Lewis said at a news conference after the vote.
"The issue is, we cannot get a perfect contract. There's no such thing as a contract that will make all of us" happy, Lewis said.
But "do we stay on strike forever until every little thing we want can be gotten?" she said.
"I'm so thrilled that people are going back, all of our members are glad to be back with their kids. It's a hard decision to make to go out, and for some people it's hard to make the decision to go back in," Lewis said.
Delegates poured out of the union hall singing "Solidarity Forever."
"I'm very excited. I miss my students. I'm relieved because I think this contract was better than what they offered," said America Olmedo, who teaches fourth- and fifth-grade bilingual classes. "They tried to take everything away."
Said Shay Porter, a teacher at the Henderson Academy elementary school: "We ignited the labor movement in Chicago."
# # #
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.