Joint Statement from Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and CPS CEO Dr. Janice K. Jackson on Comprehensive Counteroffer to CTU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, October 11, 2019

"Today, our negotiating team presented CTU with yet another comprehensive counteroffer - this one a full 72 pages. We improved our offer significantly from the already historic offer we’d previously made to the CTU. We further compromised by agreeing to drop our proposal on teacher preparation time. We offered additional support for overcrowded classrooms. We offered to maintain a moratorium on charter schools. We offered to address CTU’s demands on staffing by dedicating $400,000 per year towards developing a pipeline of nurses, counselors, and case managers. We offered to continue working with CTU on developing additional language on class size and staffing. We included supports for students who are experiencing homelessness. We offered to include new language on restorative justice. All in all, our offer includes over 80 changes to the collective bargaining agreement on issues requested by the union. We have bent over backwards to meet CTU’s concerns.

"Unfortunately, CTU simply rejected our proposals without a counterproposal, and instead is continuing to stand on their $2.5 billion starting proposal from January on nearly all issues. That proposal included a demand to allow CTU to dictate citywide policy on affordable housing, as well as to shorten the school day and school year. Despite the fact that the independent factfinder found CPS’s position fair and in the best interests of both parties, CTU failed to provide any counteroffer on compensation, the term of the agreement, and a host of other core issues. Based on the fact that it is now day 145 without a comprehensive written counteroffer, it appears that CTU is refusing to negotiate in good faith, and instead is determined to strike at all costs. We encourage everyone to visit cps.edu/ouroffer to view our comprehensive counteroffer in full.

"We stand ready to continue to bargain all weekend. However, CTU must respond with a comprehensive counteroffer in order for the parties to make meaningful progress. Our students, teachers and families deserve no less."

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