Chicago Teacher's Union Rejected 16% Pay Raise Offer

So how much was your raise this year?



Updated: September 11, 2012 2:18AM

Chicago braced for Day Two of a teacher strike Tuesday, with teachers buoyed by a boisterous first day of picketing and contract talks side-stepping what Mayor Rahm Emanuel identified as the two major sticking points.

School Board President David Vitale left the first post-strike talks Monday at 6:40 p.m., saying CPS officials had told the union “We should resolve this tomorrow. We are close enough.’’

However, Vitale conceded negotiators did not even attack what the mayor contended are the two biggest issues in the nine-month dispute: job security and teacher evaluations.

“The union said they were not ready for discussion on those particular issues,’’ said Vitale, leaving behind other Chicago Public School negotiators to continue talks late into the night on “technical issues.’’

Vitale said both sides made proposals, and that they would be analyzed overnight.

“We’re working at this, but this is hard work,” Vitale said. “We want to get this resolved. We want our kids back in school.”


Chicago Teachers Union Contract Talks by the Numbers


1987 = last CTU strike, 19 days.

350,000 = students affected (50,000 others in charter schools not impacted).

30,000 = CTU teachers & educational personnel planning to walk out.

144 = CPS strike-contingency schools offering food & activities (8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.).

11,000 = CPS athletes whose fall sports could be impacted.

Source: Sun Times