Latest news with #ChicagoTeachersUnion
CBS News
32 minutes ago
- Business
- CBS News
Chicago Teachers Union threatens lawsuit, says CPS is trying to delay changes in contract
The Chicago Teachers Union is threatening to sue the Chicago Public Schools for what they call a contract violation, and unfair labor practices. In April, the union and the district agreed to a four-year deal that included pay raises, smaller classes, and higher staffing levels. But now, the CTU is accusing the district of trying to delay those changes for class size and staffing levels. CPS responded and said any changes have not yet been officially approved. CPS also stressed that it is facing a $529 million budget.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Afternoon Briefing: Air quality alert issued due to Canadian wildfires
Good afternoon, Chicago. An air pollution action day was called this morning for the Chicago area and is in effect until midnight, weather officials said. Officials issued an alert as air quality is expected to reach unhealthy levels in all of Wisconsin until noon tomorrow, but the coverage area was expanded to include parts of northeast Illinois. This was the first air quality warning for the Chicago area as Canadian wildfires continue. The fires have forced thousands of Canadians to flee their homes and sent smoke as far as Europe. Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History The Chicago Teachers Union is threatening to sue the Chicago Board of Education over budget plans proposed by outgoing schools chief Pedro Martinez that it says constitute unfair labor practices and violations of the recently ratified contract. Read more here. More top news stories: Charges dropped against Harvey Ald. Colby Chapman, arrested at April City Council meeting Former Geminus employee sentenced to two years for stealing federal funds If McDonald's ever doubted it needed to bring back the Snack Wrap, consider this: Nine years after the fast-food powerhouse discontinued the item in the U.S., customers have continued to order it at drive-thrus. Read more here. More top business stories: Ford posts May sales gain with employee discounts for all Hindu temple complex/residential development in Elgin gets thumbs-down from commission The Chicago Blackhawks gave a sneak peek of the Fifth Third Arena expansion to the media Tuesday — still a skeletal collection of steel beams, HVAC systems and construction dust — but they dropped some meatier news during the tour: The Chicago Steel are coming. Read more here. More top sports stories: Chicago Cubs rely on timely hits and Michael Busch's near cycle in 8-3 win: 'He's always patient' Shane Smith's curveball is an effective weapon in Chicago White Sox's 8-1 win over Detroit Tigers The exhibit is smartly centered on the endless interpretations of Spider-Man the Character who, despite being 64 years old, yet still a teenage spider, has remained remarkably mutable. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: 'Stick' review: Owen Wilson scores in a comedy about golf, mentorship and picking yourself up from your lowest lows Column: Groucho Marx, playing one night only in the Loop President Donald Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him 'very strongly' in a phone call today that he will respond to Ukraine's weekend drone attack on Russian airfields. Read more here. More top stories from around the world: The Dutch government has collapsed. What happens next? Tom Girardi, estranged husband of 'Real Housewives' star, gets 7 years in prison for stealing millions from clients
Chicago Tribune
6 hours ago
- Climate
- Chicago Tribune
Afternoon Briefing: Air quality alert issued due to Canadian wildfires
Good afternoon, Chicago. An air pollution action day was called this morning for the Chicago area and is in effect until midnight, weather officials said. Officials issued an alert as air quality is expected to reach unhealthy levels in all of Wisconsin until noon tomorrow, but the coverage area was expanded to include parts of northeast Illinois. This was the first air quality warning for the Chicago area as Canadian wildfires continue. The fires have forced thousands of Canadians to flee their homes and sent smoke as far as Europe. Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History The Chicago Teachers Union is threatening to sue the Chicago Board of Education over budget plans proposed by outgoing schools chief Pedro Martinez that it says constitute unfair labor practices and violations of the recently ratified contract. Read more here. More top news stories: If McDonald's ever doubted it needed to bring back the Snack Wrap, consider this: Nine years after the fast-food powerhouse discontinued the item in the U.S., customers have continued to order it at drive-thrus. Read more here. More top business stories: The Chicago Blackhawks gave a sneak peek of the Fifth Third Arena expansion to the media Tuesday — still a skeletal collection of steel beams, HVAC systems and construction dust — but they dropped some meatier news during the tour: The Chicago Steel are coming. Read more here. More top sports stories: The exhibit is smartly centered on the endless interpretations of Spider-Man the Character who, despite being 64 years old, yet still a teenage spider, has remained remarkably mutable. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: President Donald Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him 'very strongly' in a phone call today that he will respond to Ukraine's weekend drone attack on Russian airfields. Read more here. More top stories from around the world:
Chicago Tribune
6 hours ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
CTU threatens to sue over proposed CPS budget cuts
The Chicago Teachers Union is threatening to sue the Chicago Board of Education over budget plans proposed by outgoing schools chief Pedro Martinez that it says constitute unfair labor practices and violations of the recently ratified contract. CTU President Stacy Davis Gates sent a letter to the school board on Tuesday, June 3, characterizing Martinez and his team's proposals to balance the Chicago Public Schools' 2026 fiscal budget as 'attempts at vindictive sabotage.' The new fiscal year begins on July 1. The union settled a new $1.5 billion four-year contract in late April, following a year of negotiations. CPS has said there is enough money to cover the first year of the contract, but has not specified plans for the other three. In recent weeks, CPS suggested delaying the proposals outlined in the new union contract to balance the budget for next year, given challenging financial circumstances, according to the CTU letter. Those delayed proposals would affect agreements around class size and staffing levels, the letter states, affecting English Language Learners and students with disabilities. 'To be clear, the district does not have the option of delaying investments it is contractually obligated to make under our (collective bargaining agreement), for FY26 or any other year of the agreement,' Davis Gates writes in the letter. Facing a $529 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2026, district officials pushed back. They indicated in a statement to the Tribune that they may need to review new proposals under various labor agreements to ensure long-term sustainability. Salary increases, they assured, are already in motion and included in the budget. 'If any changes to the collective bargaining agreement are needed, the District will work in partnership with our labor partners to identify solutions together,' the statement reads. The proposals in the new teachers contract include increased salaries for veteran teachers, more librarians and nurses, and mandates around class sizes, among hundreds of other asks. In the letter, Davis Gates writes that 'the terminated CEO is recommending the school district expose itself to massive legal liability by breaking these contractual promises.' She adds that the district's proposed cuts could trigger 'state investigations, monitorship, and costly compensatory services.' Ultimately, she strongly urges board members to reject Martinez's plan. Typically, when a dispute arises regarding the interpretation or enforcement of any of the proposals in a teachers contract, CTU initiates a grievance process that may be submitted to arbitration, where an impartial arbitrator makes a binding decision. But if any party believes that the contract has been violated in a manner not addressable through arbitration, they may seek legal action. Facing a $529 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2026, CPS had planned for months on how to make cuts in a way that minimizes the impact on schools. At a school board meeting last week, Martinez publicly stated that the district would attempt to make cuts at the administrative level to avoid affecting schools as much as possible. The school district released its school-level budgets on May 15, which are based on $300 million in new revenue. That still leaves $229 million in debt, and the necessity for some cuts, CPS said in its Wednesday statement. 'The proposed reductions — totaling up to 15 percent of CPS' budgets for more than 40 departments — aim to protect school funding and critical investments in District programming and operations,' the statement reads. Davis Gates, a close ally of Mayor Brandon Johnson, repeatedly attacked Martinez for his handling of the contract negotiations process. She nodded to that in Tuesday's letter, saying that his 'unfamiliarity with how contract negotiations work resulted in months of avoidable confusion, tension, and turmoil, delaying the settlement of our contract.' In the letter, she says that Martinez has gone on to brag about the accomplishments of the contract. Those are the very same measures — she says — that he is seeking to cut. Martinez is leaving the district June 18 after a long, drawn-out battle with Mayor Johnson and the union over district finances.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
‘The experience of a lifetime': Ousted Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez bids farewell in final Board of Education meeting
CHICAGO (WGN) — Thursday marked the final Board of Education meeting for embattled Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez, who landed a new job after previous board members fired him late last year. Martinez reflected on his time with CPS, calling the chance to lead one of the nation's biggest school districts the experience of a lifetime. Martinez revealed that the journey first began after his family migrated from Mexico when he was 5 years old. 'I was at Walsh Elementary, where I learned how to speak English, where teachers began to see the potential in me that I did not see in myself,' Martinez said. 'That trend continued to Benito Juarez, where teachers and counselors encouraged me to challenge myself. And guide me towards being the first in my family to go to college.' Ousted CPS CEO Martinez earns nod to lead Massachusetts Board of Education But his role as CPS CEO, which he accepted in 2021, likely did not end as he envisioned. Last December, Martinez was fired without cause amid conflict with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and his refusal to take out a high-interest loan to help finance a new Chicago Teachers Union contract and a pension payment for non-teacher staff, a move Martinez said was fiscally irresponsible. Nonetheless, Martinez says he's proud of the work he leaves behind. 'Our graduation rate has never been higher; over 84%,' he said. 'Nearly seven out of 10 CPS graduates are enrolling in college. More than half of our CPS students are earning college credit and industry certification or another career credential while still in high school.' Martinez has since been hired to lead the Massachusetts Board of Elementary Education. Through all the turmoil, CPS and CTU reached an agreement on a new contract in April. Chicago Teachers Union president Stacy Davis Gates also attended Thursday's board meeting. The CTU boss held a press conference earlier in the day on charter school renewals and wished the outgoing Martinez well. Reaction pouring in after Board of Education voted to fire CPS CEO Pedro Martinez 'CEO Pedro Martinez, I wish you Godspeed and the best of luck in your new endeavor,' she said. 'I also would suggest very strongly to you to get to know Jessica Tang and Max Page, two very honorable labor leaders who would love to partner with you.' As for the search for a new CPS CEO, Several brainstorming sessions are still scheduled. As of this writing, the job description has not been finalized or posted yet, however. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
