CPS, CTU reach partial agreement in contract talks

CPS and CTU announced a partial agreement in their ongoing teacher contract negotiations on Tuesday with the union accepting the lengthening of the school day and the district saying it will hire 477 teachers, giving preference to teachers displaced over the past two years.

With these extra teachers and some scheduling changes, such as eliminating a morning prep time and putting lunch into the middle of the day, the workday for elementary school teachers won’t be lengthened and will be only slightly longer for high school teachers.

While both sides declared victory, they also said numerous issues still need to be resolved and that a strike was still a possibility.

“We have a 98 percent strike authorization vote, and that has not changed,” CTU President Karen Lewis said. “We have a long way to go before the contract is settled, but this is a very good start.”


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