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A2 UP FRONT
Friday 1 November 2019
Continued from Front off grade school work-
Chicago Teachers Union sheets at the library to keep
delegates voted late her children occupied.
Wednesday to approve a Dukes works early morn-
tentative deal that includes ings at a warehouse and
pay raises over five years, her boyfriend works nights;
but they initially refused to they took turns watching
end the strike unless the the children.
mayor added school days Teachers said the strike was
to cover the lost time. based on a "social justice"
The union said Lightfoot agenda and aimed to in-
had agreed to make up crease resources, including
five days of lost time. The nurses and social workers
school district said classes for students, and reduce
will resume Friday. class sizes, which teachers
Throughout the strike, Chi- say currently exceed 30 or
cago Public Schools kept 40 students in some schools.
schools open, promis- Union leaders said the strike
ing parents that their kids forced the city to negoti-
would have a safe place ate on issues they initially
to go and receive meals. deemed out of bounds, in-
City parks, libraries and cluding support for home-
community groups also less students.
opened their doors to kids Lightfoot said a strike was
whose parents didn't want unnecessary and dubbed
to leave them home alone the city's offer of a 16%
but were uncomfortable raise for teachers over a
using schools being pick- five-year contract and oth-
eted by educators. er commitments on educa-
Families across the city tors' priorities "historic."
breathed a sigh of relief as The Chicago strike was In this Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey and vice-
president Stacy Davis Gates share a hug after speaking to the media following a CTU House of
they heard the news. another test of efforts by Delegates meeting at the Chicago Teachers Union Center in Chicago.
"It is over finally, thank God," teachers' unions to use Associated Press
said Dominique Dukes, who contract talks typically
has two children, ages 7 focused on salaries and ing, added protections for see me smiling with the Hillary Remis, a 37-year-old
and 14. "They did miss out benefits and force sweep- immigrants and the size of mayor." science teacher at McAu-
on their education. It was ing conversations about classes. "What they need to see liffe Elementary School,
the worst experience ever. broader problems that af- The agreement approved is that we have a tenta- said she thinks the walkout
Hopefully it doesn't happen fect schools in large, po- on Wednesday was not tive agreement and we was worthwhile and con-
again." litically left-leaning cities, immediately released now have a return to work siders the compromise on
Dukes, 33, said she printed including affordable hous- but Sharkey said some of agreement," he said. "I'm makeup days "fair."
teachers' wins could "trans- glad that people get to "I think we walked out with
form" schools in the district. return to work. Frankly, it's a better contract than we
The full union membership been hard on teachers had to begin with from the
still must hold a final vote to be out this long and it's previous contract," Remis
on the agreement. been hard on parents to said. "There were some
Broad outlines include a be out this long. It's been good compromises by
16% raise for teachers dur- hard on our students." both sides. Anything that
ing the five-year contract, The walkout served as one benefits the school and
a new committee to inves- of Lightfoot's first major hur- benefits the kids is worth it."
tigate and enforce class- dles after taking office this Chicago teachers were
room sizes that surpass lim- year. The former federal joined by thousands of
its in the agreement and prosecutor campaigned school staff, including se-
funding to add social work- on a progressive platform, curity guards and teachers'
ers and nurses to the city's including school reform, assistants who belong to a
schools. and the union accused her unit of the Service Employ-
Lightfoot said at the start of of failing to follow through ees International Union.
the strike that she would not on campaign promises. That union reached a ten-
restore any lost days and The first-term mayor dis- tative agreement with the
stuck to that position late missed questions Thursday district on Sunday, but its
Wednesday in response to about possible ripple ef- leaders vowed to remain
the union's demands. Light- fects of the strike, saying on the picket lines until the
foot and Sharkey met pri- she was focused on repair- teachers reached their
vately at City Hall on Thurs- ing "damage" to students own deal. The strike also
day as teachers protested and families. spread from the picket line
outside in the snow. The "Nobody wins in a circum- to the playing field, as some
mayor eventually emerged stance like this," she said. high school athletes found
from her office and an- Union officials said they themselves shut out of
nounced the strike would were building on massive competitions. One school,
end. teacher protests in con- Solorio Academy, missed
Sharkey, who did not stand servative states, includ- a chance to win its second
by the mayor's side to an- ing West Virginia last year state soccer championship
nounce the strike's end, where teachers called for in three years because the
told reporters that union higher pay and greater tournaments began during
members "don't need to funding for schools. the strike.q