Members of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) have cast a decisive vote in favor of a new contract with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), marking a significant milestone after nearly a year of deliberations. WGN-TV reports that a whopping 97% of voting union members have ratified the contract, a figure that stands out as the first agreement in 15 years reached without the specter of a strike looming over the negotiations.
Participation in the voting process, held last week, saw about 85% of the CTU’s 27,000 eligible voting members casting their ballots. The contract itself, incurring a $1.5 billion cost over the next four years, promises a 4 percent cost of living increase annually, extra pay for seasoned educators, and more teacher prep time. In a further ploy for bolstered educational infrastructure, it includes additional support through new staff positions and an annual $10 million injection into sports programs, along with commitments to smaller class sizes, as the WGN-TV states.
This recent ratification shows a distinct uptick in approval among educators from previous years. Notably, in 2019, after an 11-day strike, 80% of union members ratified a similar agreement, as per the Chicago Sun-Times. This year's contract, empowered by a significant turnout, marks a departure from such tumultuous chapters, promisingly envisaging stability for Chicago's public schools as the Board of Education is poised to approve the agreement at the upcoming April 24 meeting.
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