Posted on 07/17/2012 2:30:24 PM PDT by Kaslin
The Chicago Teachers Union made headlines a few months ago when it was revealed that the union was demanding a 30 percent raise in its new contract proposal.
Such an enormous raise – regardless of the supposed justification – would be unthinkable in a district with a $665 million budget deficit and a 9.8 percent unemployment rate.
The school board countered with an offer of a two percent raise, which would still be a burden on the district’s overstretched budget.
As a result, both the CTU and Chicago Public Schools requested an “independent” fact finder to look at both sides’ proposals and suggest some sort of compromise.
This morning, the fact finder is expected to release his report, which calls for a 15-20 percent raise for CTU members in the first year of the contract, according to the Chicago Tribune.
And the union is expected to reject that recommendation.
Thumbing its nose at a massive raise – which incidentally has no relationship to job performance – will likely not be received well in a community that is enduring some of the worst unemployment rates in the country.
The Tribune reports:
“The Chicago Teachers Union had gone into negotiations asking for a wage increase of nearly 30 percent over two years. Sources said the union realizes that the price of a major pay hike in terms of lost jobs and working conditions would be too high.
“Union officials now face the task of explaining to members why it would reject a salary increase that is less than they asked for but significantly higher than the 2 percent first-year raise CPS initially offered.”
Sources tell EAGnews.org that the union will be assembling its leaders Wednesday to formally accept or reject the fact finders report. At that meeting, it will also likely set a date to strike.
Why won’t the union schedule a vote of members to see how they feel about a 15-20 percent raise. My guess is that they would jump on it, but union leaders are not asking their opinion. They seem determined to go out on strike, probably just as school is set to begin in September.
Just for the record, the students of Chicago were never mentioned in the Tribune report about the labor talks. This is further proof that in union schools, they are frequently treated as afterthoughts while the adults fight over money.
And I thought schools existed for children. Silly me.
Maybe they should go on strike.
It would be better for the children.................
The fact finder must be an idiot.
Will there be anyone in Chicago who will stand up to the union and say, NO MORE!
(CRICKETS)
Give them the 30% raise then fire 40% of the teachers, including the extra staff that don’t teach, and we might have a good deal. There is so much dead wood in our schools that it drives up the cost to the taxpayer and our children are not up to par in standardized tests. Charter Schools and non union teachers are the answer.
P R I V A T I Z E ...................
Exactly. Give them the raise. Bankrupt the system. Shut the place down, sell the assets, 100% privatization. Replicate in 100% of counties nationwide ...
Clearly those who are employed and pay taxes need to step up and take care of this little situation. It sounds like someone is not paying their “fair share”. (/s)
Not a COLA, not an explanation...nothing.
And these pukes that I help pay their salaries complain!
If Obummer wants to kill America....he's on the right path.
We can count of a business owner negotiating in good faith with an employee union.
OBVIOUSLY we cannot count on elected officials negotiating in good faith with an employee union.
1) it isn't their money they are giving away
2) the money they give away to unions often end up being ‘donated’ to their election campaigns
3) they are public employees themselves and often stand to benefit from the “concessions” they make.
Currently the guy who ‘negotiated’ the sweetheart deals for the unions in Scranton has been HIRED BY THEM to represent their interests in not having their benefits cut - despite Scranton going bankrupt.
Another reason for the separation of School and State.
Not your fault but the story is useless without stating average, median, top salaries and benefit packages values for teachers and the administration.
I bet they’re triple Chicago’s average salaries ... takers? ;-)
Not really, but if private businesses do badly by their employees, the employees can look for better jobs, and if unions in private business go too far, the businesses shut down. (Whoops.)
There are no controls on government unions and government spending other than city/county bankruptcy or taxpayer revolt, and the latter seems to just never happen.
Time to invoke a "Wisconsen Plan". Of course it won't happen in the Chicaago "Thugocracy".
What I mean by that is we can count on a business owner not “giving away the store” because it is HIS money. If he makes too generous concessions - he is out of business - and the employees are out of a job.
Both parties have, as their best interest, the continued existence of the company.
That is just not the case with a Public Employee Union, because profitability is not a concern, it isn’t their money they are playing with, and many fully expect bailouts if thing go wrong.
Ain't that the truth.
No, stupid you.
Put that way, I completely agree.
I think the author was being ironic.
My county and its school district are dealing with budget issues (of course), and all the public debate is about “saving jobs,” not about whether the district is using our money wisely and has the academic results to prove that the employees are a good value.
Pigs. Many people haven’t had raises, or jobs, in years, what makes these teachers think they should get ANY raises?
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