CPS strike? (Chicago, Washington, Rome: middle-class, crime, versus)

[cubssoxfan]

Did I miss this in earlier posts?:
How does the length of the new expanded school year and school day compare with other districts?
Is it still shorter, about the same or now longer?

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by Hendu

And where was this outrage when Daley was in office?

My understanding is that Rahm has ties to the private ("charter" or whatever you want to call it) education industry and is attempting to weaken, dismantle and privatize as much of public education as he can. I don't believe Daley had that same agenda, or if he did he was much sneakier about it, apparently.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

Did I miss this in earlier posts?:
How does the length of the new expanded school year and school day compare with other districts?
Is it still shorter, about the same or now longer?

Good question.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Keep in mind that to actually make that amount would reflect 14 years of experience and a Master's degree.

I'm not sure that matters. It is the average. Some make more, some make less.

Are CTU teachers more experienced and qualified than in other major cities?

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by MI_OH

Karen Lewis is awesome, and has the full support of Chicagoland organized labor.

The thing is, she's tough, and won't be pushed around. Rahm is a bully and thug. The only way you deal with a thug who's throwing punches is to fight back.

Karen Lewis is doing her job, and doing it well.

Maybe as a negotiator. As the PR spokesperson she's doing absolutely nothing but turning the public away from the teachers - and fast. Yesterday was only the 2nd day of the strike and you could sit and watch it happen every time she did anything. People talking on the streets, people being interviewed, parents speaking on this site, even the newscasters. Someone needs to get her a** off the camera for the teachers sake.

[Chicago60614]

Regardless of those this ends, you can stick another nail in the CPS and another black eye on the city's image:

Chicago teachers union official: ‘This could be a long strike’
Updated: 28 minutes ago

Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jesse Sharkey, before entering Wednesday’s negotiations, said there was “no way’’ talks would wrap up Wednesday and that if the school board doesn’t move more in its position, “this could be a long strike.’’

[divakat]

Any way you slice it, $76,000 per year for working 9 months out of the year is a great salary in Chicago. Nobody is saying teaching in Chicago is easy. But demanding pay increases in these economic times is seen by many, many people as greedy. Countless people in the private sector have not had even 3% pay increases since the collapse in 2008. The taxpayers cannot handle the increases needed to support the higher pay, and most of them make less for working 12 months out of the year that the teachers make in 9 months of work. The City is broke, the people are broke. A strike is bad for the children and Rahm should stand his ground.

[aragx6]

I don't understand being mad at the public sector employees who want a decent working wage comparable to their experience instead of blaming the public sector for paying you poorly. Your anger is misplaced.

[hindukid]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I don't understand being mad at the public sector employees who want a decent working wage comparable to their experience instead of blaming the public sector for paying you poorly. Your anger is misplaced.

A lot of this comes down to a basic disagreement over facts. I don't know many that would say $76,000 is not a decent working wage. Yet I guess there seems to be some disagreement over whether $76,000 is the average salary or not.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I don't understand being mad at the public sector employees who want a decent working wage comparable to their experience instead of blaming the public sector for paying you poorly. Your anger is misplaced.

Teachers do have a good working wage in Chicago. The fierce competition amongst teachers to get into CPS, despite the many challenges the school system faces, attests to that.

Any anger likely stems from the fact that the teachers are paid out of tax dollars. So its not irrational for taxpayers who make less than the median teacher to have some resentment towards them on this issue. Given the CPS budget issues, the teachers 'win' will come at the expense of the rest of Chicago's residents.

I know from a few teachers I have spoken to, that the salary issue was really lower on the list for why they authorized the strike vote. They also didn't really agree with the CTU salary demands, but viewed it as a bargaining chip. However, by not explicitly stating that CTU agrees with the more than reasonable salary increase on the table now, I think they will quickly lose the PR war the longer this goes on. Especially with Karen Lewis the public face of their union.