Chicago Teachers Union, firefighters to hold solidarity rally Monday for new contracts
The Chicago Teachers Union is holding a rally with firefighters on Monday as they negotiate a new contract.
The teachers union and Chicago Public Schools appear close to a new deal but have hit some bumps in the final stretch of negotiations.
Both groups will be on the Near West Side as both groups simultaneously work to negotiate a new contract.
A teachers union spokesperson says talks with the Board of Education went well over the weekend and are planning improvements to the REACH evaluation system and teacher assistant staffing.
What is still on the table? Prep time in the classroom for elementary school teachers.
The teachers union says it is close to reaching an agreement with CPS, but now the Board of Education will have to figure out how to pay for that contract in addition to reimbursing the city for a $175 million pension payment for non-teaching staff. They say its negotiating team is willing to meet during spring break to keep working on a contract.
The joint event comes as negotiations for the CTU, Chicago Public Schools, and firefighters are taking longer than anticipated.
The rally started at 9 a.m. and is being held at Monroe and Laflin, where both teachers and first responders will be wearing red.
