Monday, September 10, 2012

Chicago Day One 4PM Update

My pal Angel Gonzalez was getting impatient earlier in the day with this FB post: Angel Gonzalez posted in Grassroots Education Movement: NYC
LOOKED at UFT and AFT websites for any mention...
Angel Gonzalez12:32pm Sep 10
LOOKED at UFT and AFT websites for any mention of solidarity with CTU. Nothing! NADA! We have same Chicago issues at each of our schools and our bankrupt leaders ignore our communities & decline of our schools. JUST AN OUTRAGE. Randi & Mulgrew keep sleeping and marching with the WALL ST. Corporates.
Randi and AFT must have heard him and came out with a support statement. Wear red on Weds. Two days late, but who's quisling, er, quibbling. I know, I'm just being mean. Suppor is support, though a statement at midnight would have been better. But one has to check which way the wind is blowing first. I am working in an analysis of just how dangerous a successful strike is to Randi/Mulgrew and crew.

See below for the full AFT statement.

As of 4PM has anyone seen a statement from UFT/Mulgrew? Send the link.







CTU Strike, Day One: Two Reports
CTU Strike, Day 1 - Amundsen High School:


CTU Strike, Day 1 - Steinmetz High School:

On the first day of the historic 2012 Chicago Teachers strike (Sept. 10), picket lines went up all over the city. Labor Beat sent out camera crews to a number of locations, and here are the first short reports from just 2 of those schools: Amundsen High School and Steinmetz High School pickets in the early hours of Monday morning. At both locations, many motorists honked their horns in solidarity as they drove by, showing their appreciation for the teachers' organizational strength and courage.

Amundsen: 02:01
Steinmetz: 01:56



Please make a Donation to Labor Beat (Committee for Labor Access) and help rank-and-file tvDONATE HERE

Striking Amundsen H.S. teacher Colleen Murray 

photo: Labor Beat


Monday morning commuters going to work happily greeted Steinmetz strikers with honking horns. 

photo: Labor Beat




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Daily Kos


Chicago Teachers Union Strikes Back!


After hours of intense negotiations, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) have failed to reach an agreement that will prevent the first teachers strike in 25 years. Pickets are expected to begin Monday at 675 schools and the Board of Education as early as 6:30 a.m. Teachers, paraprofessionals and school clinicians have been without a labor agreement since June of this year.
Union leaders expressed disappointment in the District’s refusal to concede on issues involving compensation, job security and resources for their students. CTU President Karen Lewis said, “Negotiations have been intense but productive, however we have failed to reach an agreement that will prevent a labor strike. This is a difficult decision and one we hoped we could avoid. Throughout these negotiations have I remained hopeful but determined. We must do things differently in this city if we are to provide our students with the education they so rightfully deserve.
Today teachers paraprofessionals, school clinicians, students, parents and supporters took picketed all CPS schools as a show of unity against a mayor who has been using charter school and Tea Party surrogates to bash the Union


AFT statement
Late last night, the Chicago Teachers Union went on strike. This came after months of intense negotiations that continued until the last hours before the strike deadline. Today, teachers, educational support personnel and community members throughout Chicago walk together on picket lines to continue to demand a contract that provides the best for students, respects educators and their work, and treats them as true partners. Despite ongoing efforts over the past weekend to reach an agreement, the CTU and the district remain divided on core issues like the best way to improve instruction, and how to ensure job security and fair compensation for educators.

Join us to show your support for the CTU and strong public schools in Chicago by wearing red on Wednesday, Sept. 12.

“Chicago Teachers Union is the AFT’s Local No. 1; it’s where our union was born,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said in a statement of support. “The CTU has a proud tradition of uniting and standing together to advocate and agitate for better—for students, for our communities and for our members.”

The 1.5 million members of the AFT are proud to stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in their fight to ensure that every child in Chicago’s public schools has access to a great education, and that educators and their work are valued.

Show Your Solidarity: Wear Red!
Show your support for the CTU and Chicago students by wearing red on Wednesday, Sept. 12, and send your group photos to
photos@aft.org.
Additional Ways to Show Support:
  • Send letters and resolutions of support.

    Mail to: 
Karen Lewis, President, Chicago Teachers Union, Local 1

    Attention: Audrey May 
222
    Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 400 

    Chicago, Il 60654

  • Make a donation
.
    Checks should be made payable to CTU Solidarity Fund and mailed to the address above. Credit card donations can be made here.

  • Volunteer your time. 

    If you are interested in volunteering your time to help CTU, sign up here.

In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT President

P.S. You can also post your expressions of support on the CTU’s Facebook page.

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The opinions expressed on EdNotesOnline are solely those of Norm Scott and are not to be taken as official positions (though Unity Caucus/New Action slugs will try to paint them that way) of any of the groups or organizations Norm works with: ICE, GEM, MORE, Change the Stakes, NYCORE, FIRST Lego League NYC, Rockaway Theatre Co., Active Aging, The Wave, Aliens on Earth, etc.

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