This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/17/chicago-teachers-union-extend-strike

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Chicago teachers' union delegates extend strike to undertake consultation Chicago teachers' union delegates extend strike to undertake consultation
(about 1 hour later)
Union delegates representing striking teachers in Chicago decided on Sunday to extend their week-long strike until at least Wednesday to give them time to consult with rank-and-file members before voting to suspend the walkout. The confrontation between the Chicago teachers union and Mayor Rahm Emanuel escalated on Sunday when the union extended its strike until at least Tuesday and Emanuel responded by going to court for an injunction to declare the walkout illegal.
In a surprise decision, union president Karen Lewis said that some 800 delegates meeting on Sunday to review a new contract agreement negotiated with Mayor Rahm Emanuel decided that they needed more time to consider whether to go back to work. There will be no classes in Chicago public schools for a sixth day on Monday, and probably Tuesday, affecting 350,000 kindergarten, elementary and high school students.
"A clear majority [of the delegates] wanted to stay out. That's why we are staying out," Lewis told a news conference after a three-hour meeting. The showdown also left in doubt a deal on wages, benefits and education reforms for 29,000 unionised teachers that negotiators had hoped would end the biggest labor dispute in the United States in a year.
Before the meeting, Lewis had said she would ask the delegates to suspend the strike by 29,000 teachers, school nurses and other support staff. Union president Karen Lewis said some 800 union delegates met on Sunday and decided to go back to consult with rank-and-file members before voting whether to end the walk out.
The decision was a setback for the union leadership that had appeared to have strong support for its confrontation with Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "There's no trust (of the school district and mayor)," Lewis told a news conference. "So you have a population of people who are frightened of never being able to work for no fault of their own."
Both sides claimed some victories in the new agreement. Union delegates will reconvene on Tuesday to discuss the feedback from rank-and-file members, Lewis said. Parents should plan for their children to be out of school until at least Wednesday, she said.
Emanuel compromised on the design of the first update of the evaluation system for Chicago teachers in 40 years, according to details of the agreement released by both sides. He agreed to phase in the new plan over several years and reduced the weighting of standardized test results in reviewing teachers. No formal vote of delegates was taken, but they were asked to stand up so that the union leadership could get a sense of how many were for and against ending the strike, delegates said.
"A clear majority wanted to stay out. That's why we are staying out," Lewis told a news conference after a three-hour meeting of the delegates.
Emanuel called the strike "illegal" and said he would go to court to seek an injunction to block the strike.
"I will not stand by while the children of Chicago are played as pawns in an internal dispute within a union," Emanuel said, adding that the union walked out over issues that are not subject to a strike under Illinois state law.
Teachers revolted last week against sweeping education reforms sought by Emanuel, especially evaluating teachers based on the standardised test scores of their students. They also fear a wave of neighbourhood school closings that could result in mass teacher layoffs. They want a guarantee that laid-off teachers will be "recalled" for other jobs in the district.
"They're still not happy with the evaluations. They're not happy with the recall (provision)," Lewis said of the union delegates.
Before the meeting of delegates on Sunday, Lewis had called the agreement a "good contract." But after the decision to extend the strike she backtracked, saying: "This is not a good deal. This is the deal we got."
Emanuel's chief negotiator, school board president David Vitale, said the union should allow children to go back to school while the two sides go through the process of approval of the agreement.
"We are extremely disappointed that after 10 months of discussion reaching an honest and fair compromise that (the union) decided to continue their strike of choice and keep our children out of the classroom," Vitale said.
During the first week of the strike, parents and Chicago voters appeared to back the union, with some parents and students joining boisterous rallies and opinion polls showing support. A key question is whether the extension of the strike will anger some parents and raise support for Emanuel's efforts to end it.
Both sides appeared to win some concessions, according to details of the tentative agreement released by the parties.
Emanuel compromised on the design of the first update of the evaluation system for Chicago teachers in 40 years. He agreed to phase in the new plan over several years and reduced the weighting of standardised test results in reviewing teachers.
Teachers won some job-security protections and prevented the introduction of merit pay in their contract.Teachers won some job-security protections and prevented the introduction of merit pay in their contract.
The Chicago strike has shone a bright light on a fierce national debate over how to reform failing inner-city schools. The union believes that more money and resources should be given to neighborhood public schools to help them improve. The Chicago strike has shone a bright light on a fierce national debate over how to reform failing inner-city schools. The union believes that more money and resources should be given to neighbourhood public schools to help them improve.
Emanuel and a legion of financiers and philanthropists believe that failing schools should be closed and reopened with new staff and principals to give the students the best chance of improving academically.Emanuel and a legion of financiers and philanthropists believe that failing schools should be closed and reopened with new staff and principals to give the students the best chance of improving academically.
In Chicago, more than 80 neighborhood schools have been closed in the last decade as the enrollment has declined by about 20%. In Chicago, more than 80 neighbourhood schools have been closed in the last decade as the enrollment has declined by about 20%. The Chicago Tribune reported last week that another 120 of about 600 city public schools could be closed.
At the same time, 96 so-called charter schools have been opened. Charters are controversial because they are publicly funded but non-union and not subject to some public school rules and regulations. Their record of improving student academic performance is mixed, studies show.At the same time, 96 so-called charter schools have been opened. Charters are controversial because they are publicly funded but non-union and not subject to some public school rules and regulations. Their record of improving student academic performance is mixed, studies show.
Lewis and the union argue that charters are undermining public education.Lewis and the union argue that charters are undermining public education.
"We work very hard," said Rhonda McLeod, a special-education teacher at a neighborhood school on Chicago's south side and one of the delegates who voted on Sunday. "To say a teacher comes in and phones it in is the biggest lie I ever heard." The agreement calls for a 3% pay raise for teachers this year and 2% in each of the next two years. If the agreement is extended for an optional fourth year, teachers get a 3% increase. The increases will result in an average 17.6 increase over four years, the district said.
The agreement calls for a 3% raise this year and 2% in each of the next two years. If the agreement is extended for an optional fourth year, teachers get a 3% increase. The increases will result in an average 17.6% increase over four years, the district said.
The deal could worsen the Chicago Public Schools financial crisis. Emanuel said the contract will cost $295 million over four years, or $74 million per year.The deal could worsen the Chicago Public Schools financial crisis. Emanuel said the contract will cost $295 million over four years, or $74 million per year.
Debt rating agencies had previously warned that the new agreement with teachers could bust the school district budget and lead to a downgrade of its credit rating.Debt rating agencies had previously warned that the new agreement with teachers could bust the school district budget and lead to a downgrade of its credit rating.
The district has drained all its financial reserves to cover an expected budget deficit over the next year and has levied the maximum property tax allowed by law.The district has drained all its financial reserves to cover an expected budget deficit over the next year and has levied the maximum property tax allowed by law.
Lewis said that teachers also fear that when the strike ends, Emanuel will soon announce the closing of scores of schools to save money to pay for the new contract with teachers and to make room for opening more charter schools. Lewis said teachers also fear that when the strike ends, Emanuel will soon announce the closing of scores of schools to save money to pay for the new contract with teachers and to make room for opening more charter schools.
Teachers won a concession from Emanuel that half of all teachers hired by the district must be union members laid off from school closings.Teachers won a concession from Emanuel that half of all teachers hired by the district must be union members laid off from school closings.