catalyst-chicago.org

You could say we're officially on a strike watch as Chicago Public Schools and the teachers union go back to the negotiating table Friday morning in another effort to reach a contract and squash the threat of a walkout.

With the start of the regular-track school year quickly approaching, CTU President Karen Lewis is sounding the warning bell that the union and the district still need to resolve many issues before a strike can be ruled out.

Without some movement, "we are preparing for a strike," she says. “You prepare for war, pray for peace.”

CPS and CTU announced a partial agreement in 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 for teachers back 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.