Above Photo: From PopularResistance.org.
The Chicago Teachers Union released details regarding the recent strike authorization vote, which was conducted over a three-day period December 9-11, 2015, in all schools where CTU members are employed. The results indicate the following:
No. of Actual Votes: 22,678
No. of Eligible Voters: 24,752
Percentage of Members who Voted: 91.6%
Percentage of Eligible Members who Voted ‘Yes’: 88%
No. of ‘Yes’ Votes: 21,782
Percentage of Voting Members who Voted ‘Yes’: 96.05%
STATEMENT BY CTU VICE PRESIDENT JESSE SHARKEY
“Late last week teachers, PSRPs, clinicians—members of the CTU—voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. The actual result was just over 96 percent of those voting marked ‘yes’ with a 92 percent turnout. Rahm, Forrest Claypool—listen to what teachers and educators are trying to tell you: do not cut the schools anymore, do not make the layoffs that you have threatened; instead, respect educators and give us the tools we need to do our jobs. In particular:
(1) Improve the teaching and learning conditions by reducing standardized testing, eliminate time-sucking compliance paperwork, and restore professional respect and autonomy to teachers on matters like grades. These improvements cost nothing;
(2) Staff our schools at an adequate level. We deserve reasonable class sizes, instruction in art, music, science and technology, a library with a librarian, a nurse;
(3) and, Help our schools and our communities address the social crisis in large swaths of our city. While we do not expect the schools to fix homelessness, broken immigration policy, crisis-level unemployment, and racism, we must address the undeniable fact that these problems spill over into our schools and devastate the lives of our children. We have modest demands to address these problems—allow our counselors to counsel, approve restorative justice programs in targeted schools, help with translation and bilingual services.
Chicago Teachers Union members do not want to strike, but we do demand that you listen to us. Do not cut our schools, do not lay off educators or balance the budget on our backs.”