Negotiations drag on as CTU, CPS appear to be nearing a contract deal

CHICAGO — Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) say they’re close to a contract deal, but are still working out the final details.

It was another late night of bargaining at CTU headquarters on Thursday as negotiations over a contract have almost reached the one-year mark, but Mayor Johnson said CPS and the union are close to an agreement.

On Thursday, members of the union rallied as negotiators for the CTU and CPS work through the few remaining issues standing between bargaining and a contract.

“We are doing some of the hardest work in the world,” CTU member Sylvelia Pittman said.

There was some hope for a deal on Thursday after lengthy meetings on Wednesday, but CPS announced in a statement that an agreement still has not been reached.

“While CPS and CTU leadership bargained late into the night, a tentative agreement has not been reached and discussions are ongoing. The parties continue to work through the three remaining priorities: veteran educator pay, elementary teacher planning time, and teacher evaluation,” a district spokesperson said in a statement.

Pressure to settle the contract comes as a $175 million dollar pension payment for non-teacher staff looms.

Mayor Brandon Johnson is now facing a fast-approaching Sunday deadline for the city to be reimbursed for that payment or figure out a way to close the gap.

“We have these district entanglements with the school district and Chicago Public Schools that we have to unravel because they’re going to stand up as an independent governing body. This payment, whatever we do to figure it out, at some point is going to be their sole responsibility,” Johnson said.

Just last week, the Board of Education postponed a vote on a budget amendment for the pension payment and teacher’s contract to better under the full cost of the deal that CPS reaches with the CTU. 

“Here’s what I’m most interested in though, in this moment, is ensuring the contract reflects my vision for public schools,” Johnson said. “Sustainable community schools, making sure that our class sizes are smaller and more manageable and really protecting workforce experience.”

Before any agreement goes to all members for a vote, it first has to be approved by the Big Bargaining Team.

The CTU said it currently looks like the earliest they will convene again is Monday.