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 The Chicago Teachers Union vote to strike for the third time in
seven years is a demand that Chicago taxpayers hand over more than $1.1 billion
over three years.
To put that in perspective, if CTU got its demands and the entire cost went to
property taxes, a Chicago family in a median-value home would pay at least $221
more in the first year of the contract than they would have under the school
district’s original offer.
The union and district together picked an independent
fact-finder, who looked over both sides’ offers and finances and recommended 16%
in raises over five years. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot agreed to accept the
finding. CTU rejected it, and went back to reasserting their demands for 15%
over three years and reductions in employee contributions to their health care
plans. The union’s demands would increase average pay to $91,407 from $78,961 in
just three years, even before accounting for automatic “step increases” based on
years of service.
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Salary demands and health insurance costs are
typically part of contract negotiations. But CTU is also asking for
more teachers and support staff, such as nurses and counselors,
which are not traditionally terms of the contract. In total, CTU is
demanding the district hire just under 4,025 new staff at a first
year cost of $267 million and a 3-year cost of around $800 million.
CTU also wants the school district to help new teachers buy homes
and demands a moratorium on school closures for the next 10 years,
regardless of whether the declining student population or economic
factors require it. All together, these demands would cost taxpayers
$397 million more just in the first year. CTU’s vote
to strike is just the latest example of a union power play in
Illinois. In this case, union leaders are wielding that power to
pressure teachers to walk out on vulnerable students over excessive
demands that the district – and taxpayers – can’t afford.
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