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The Chicago faculty board is pushing district CEO Pedro Martinez to shortly wrap up contract talks with the Chicago Lecturers Union.
In a letter despatched Friday obtained by Chalkbeat, board members demanded “a completely executed contract within the coming days” — a rare ask provided that the 2 sides stay far aside on key points and are gearing up to usher in a impartial fact-finder to evaluate the district’s monetary state of affairs and the potential influence of union proposals in December.
Board members wrote to Martinez to hurry up the negotiations the identical day the union despatched the board a letter asking them to place strain on district directors to settle. The talks have been underway since April.
Mayor Brandon Johnson, an in depth CTU ally, appointed the seven-member board in October after all the earlier board stepped down amid strain to fireplace Martinez.
The union has mentioned its package deal of proposals will assist the district meet the targets of a five-year strategic plan it accepted earlier this fall — a sentiment the varsity board echoed in its letter to the colleges chief. CPS officers have countered {that a} district dealing with ballooning deficits can’t afford to decide to a significant growth in staffing and different investments the union is searching for.
Some aldermen and board members elected earlier this month have known as on the present board members to not take any consequential actions till the brand new hybrid 21-member board is seated in January. However the board rejected the plea to “sit on our fingers” in its letter to Martinez.
“Let’s attain a swift settlement in order that our college communities and educators might achieve peace of thoughts and in order that our district management can redirect capability taken up by bargaining, to enhance our faculties and pupil outcomes, as quickly as potential,” board members wrote.
Member Debby Pope, who labored for the lecturers union till this previous summer season, didn’t signal the letter.
The lecturers union, which final week additionally known as on Johnson to intervene within the talks and held a downtown rally in assist of its proposals, wrote faculty board members decrying a letter to households and a press briefing that district leaders held final week. On each events, the district mentioned that the union’s calls for would add about $10 billion in prices over the contract’s 4 years. However union officers argued that they’ve since narrowed down and revised their proposals, leading to smaller prices.
The bargaining has been one difficulty that spurred a conflict between Martinez and Johnson, resulting in months of CPS turmoil — and a push to oust the CEO. The colleges chief and mayor have disagreed over find out how to pay for the price of the contract, with Martinez and the previous largely Johnson-appointed board arguing it might be irresponsible to take out a mortgage and add to the district’s vital debt burden.
Reema Amin contributed to this report.
Mila Koumpilova is Chalkbeat Chicago’s senior reporter overlaying Chicago Public Colleges. Contact Mila at mkoumpilova@chalkbeat.org.
