Chicago is a city faced with a deep budget crisis and some of the nation’s worst schools. But that won’t stop the city’s teacher’s union from holding parents hostage today.
Thousands of Chicago teachers — some making over $126,000 a year — are planning to walk off the job today in what could be an early glimpse of a more prolonged strike still to come.
Some 27,000 Chicago Teachers Union members overwhelmingly authorized an open-ended strike. Their demands — more money from taxpayers for their failing schools (and their own pockets) from the city that’s facing a multi-billion dollar budget crisis.
In February, a union bargaining team rejected an offer that provided pay raises and guaranteed job security and met other union demands, but that would have asked teachers to contribute toward their pension costs and health coverage.
Authorities call the one-day walkout an “illegal strike,” noting state law says the union and the district must exhaust a series of steps before teachers may strike over a contract, and that hasn’t happened yet.
The union says teachers will picket outside Chicago schools in the morning. And if their demands aren’t met by this afternoon, they’ll send thousands streaming into downtown roads during Friday rush hour, disrupting traffic.
The current median salary for a Chicago teacher is $76,000, and pay can reach more than $126,000. Retired teachers can make as much as $77,000 a year in pensions.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Dorothy Anderson says
Retirement pay can reach $70,000+ a year – wow! My SS is only $4800+/-. Guess I took the wrong job!
Laura Ayala says
My SS is only $1500 a month. They don’t deserve it. They are not teaching these kids anything but how to hate. Let them walk permanently. The kids will be better off. Use the money saved to bus the kids to other areas. They are outrageous to ask such figures for failing to do their jobs.
Carlos Becerril says
Laura
good morning and thank you privatized the education will have an opportunity for a decent future
and taxpayers will have a huge tax break also billions in savings
ILLINOIS BOB says
There are still some good teachers out there — but sadly they fall into the minority.
I am 100% behind GOV. Bruce Rauner by refusing to fund a CPS system that’s corrupt and “broken”.
GET RID OF THEM ALL IN THE CPS – and change the system. In Chicago schools, if you show up for class you get a “B”. Children who are truants (and there is ton of them in Chicago Public Schools) and never show up to class are still marked as “present” by the teachers and schools so they get their “funding”.
Teachers received pay raises during the depression years (some say recession) while most peoples income remained unchanged at best, and in many cases reduced, and in other cases jobs lost. And they still complained!
Most teachers and educational systems K-12 DO NOT instruct our children how to learn and find answers/solutions – they teach our children to pass tests! They also slant their liberal viewpoint upon our children… This must change for the sake of the children.
art Waldeck says
Yes this must change for the sake of our children, but also for the sake of our country! Our children are the future of the country! Unfortunately many of these teachers cannot even articulate the English language, much less teach it. How can these morons justify an increase in wages?
They are without a doubt experts in demonstrating how to correctly put a condom on a banana.
Mrs. J. says
As a Chicago Public School Teacher, let it be known. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) does not have an elected school board nor a superintendent. All the decisions made for CPS students are under the mayor’s control and whoever the mayor appoints to the position. Chicago Teachers fund their own pensions and DO NOT receive social security income. CPS is broke on purpose due to the mayor diverting money from CPS students. The CTU (Chicago Teachers Union) teachers are advocates for our students. Let Us Teach. Stop overburdened our students with assessment after assessment. All children can learn if given the opportunity and CPS is interfering in that process by not funding our schools. Our mayor, our governor and the 1% need to stop wasting educational resources for personal gain and profit.
Wendy says
While I agree the pensions are excessive, I think you underestimate just how hard their jobs are. A lot of inner-city schools, Chicago and Detroit in particular, are in such poor condition it’s a wonder kids can learn ANYTHING. There’s no money to clean up the mold or patch the crumbling walls or even get working clocks. Where do you think they’re going to get the funds to bus them somewhere else?
uncle_fweddy says
There is plenty of money, don’t kid yourself. The problem is that they use the money to give each other undeserved, union-forced raises, instead of using it to repair the infrastructure. This is completely out of control, and shows no signs of ever abating; the unions will simply demand more and more and more, from their partners in crime, the democrat political machine, and–in exchange for their votes, to keep the democrats in power permanently–they will get it. What force can stop them? When all the taxpayers have literally been taxed out of their homes, still the demands for more, and more, and more will continue. Face it; we’re screwed. My advice: Lie these greedy parasites walk and keep walking. Start over from square one. Step one is to reverse the disastrous decision to allow public sector unions; those should never have been allowed.
And don’t forget, after the teachers, come the policemen, the fire fighters… It never stops, never gets any better. We are Constitutionally sewn into this trap, as Emanuel re-discovered within the last few days..
The Globalizer says
Uncle_fweddy – you fool yourself – there is no money, magic bullet or anything that can provide an instant solution.
Teachers are not like Wall Street Bankers (Wankers) and whatever you might want to believe, they really want the best for the kids. Pick your friends and don’t mistake them for enemies.
Bud Webster says
The dumbing down of Americans is astounding. I know of of an English teacher in Illinois that collects 110 thousand dollar a year in retirement! For @ least 25years I know of, the fiscal budget for education as been 125 billion a year, and we rank 26th in the industrialized world. Throwing other people’s money is always the Marxists way. Charter schools & vouchers so that intercity students can chose the path of education would stimulate competition, and education levels. Of course the progessive Marxist dems wouldn,t like losing both the union control over education( dumbing down of America for political control) and a voting block for blacks that just can,t seem to shake the slave mentality. If the Democratic Party was sincerely trying to help people of color, they would be in full support of vouchers to help lift the black community Thur education. Their game is control, and voting block, all one need to do is look to Detroit. It,s been in control by the dems for over 50 years and is a shithole that,s completely broke.
Bud Webster says
Why are my comments being monitored/ censored? Nothing have I said is vulgar, freedom of speech not protected anymore? Marxist in control on both sides
Jerry says
They control everything, you must conform!!!
ed says
Outrageous, just like the government
Donald Girton says
Well my SS check is $1,756 so try living on that. Being asked to pay more for their health care and pensions is something all who are still working to do. These teachers need to come out from behind their desks….walk out of their school door……cross the street and join the real world. Let’s call this their homework…..then let the taxpayers grade their results….my bet is they fail…..taxpayers have had enough of their temper tantrums!
uncle_fweddy says
Oh NO, No, NO, you must never test or even question the competence of any of these people. Not the teachers, not the administrators, not nobody, not nohow… Ask any of them this question: Who’s fault is this? Nobody will raise their hands to take any share of the blame. The have a one chorus only song: We need more money. Raise the taxes. Say it AGAIN! What do we want? More Money! When do we want it? Right NOW! What do we want?…on and on…
Clifford Adkins says
Don’t forget they only work (attend the job) 6 hours a day and only 9 months out of the year, with more days holiday than congress!!! This is calculated to be in the area of $62/hour, this based on a salary of $70,000 per year.
In comparison working in a normal business one would earn $122,512/year. Without the outlandish benefits the teachers get.
Robeat Ewing says
Shut down these leftist schools.
The kids aren’t learning anything
Anyway. I lived there 12 years; and my kids suffered.
nj says
Let them ALL walk.
Set up on line classes for larger number of students and people who want to work for a fraction of those salaries can serve as “aides” to provide the personal connection.
The students can get better teachers that way, and can also learn the important lesson of self motivation as well. If a student does not want to learn, they won’t, regardless of the teachers.
TAP says
120,000. a year and there striking for what ?? They say for the kids education…I think not…They are living way beyond there means…Greed…Hillary, Democratic greed hiding as if they care about the education…
uncle_fweddy says
They’re living beyond OUR means…
Calvin Mishalatube says
Chicago should take a lesson from Reagan. Fire the whole lot of these over paid under worked so called teachers. They work nine months a year and make big bucks. Such a deal. If they don’t like the situation, then get another job. Teachers unions are a blight on the education system. Just as most unions are a blight on the body politic.
Therefore, fire the lot of them, declare a school holiday until new teachers can be hired and make their jobs contingent on how well professional they are, not what union they belong to. Enough is enough. Or better yet, shut down the public school system and finance charter schools. Might not be legal, but beats a bunch of union thugs scamming the public for more money and putting out a lousy uneducated product.
JohnLamb says
Very good post. Let them walk. Black List them and don’t let them work again as teachers anywhere.
Who's To Say says
I agree with your assessments 120 %—–PASS THE WORD AROUND—ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. IT’S NOT GREED PE SE.
IT’S GLUTONOUS GREED ! ! !
Who's To Say says
Same thing here in Pennsylvania as well across the Country.
Teachers’ Unions became the RUINATION of our educational system, now along with COMMON CORE !Ruination for sure, and bankrupting us all via the taxation system to fund these glutonous and greedy half-asssed educators. But don’t you know they are considered ‘Gov’t employees’, thus the scam on us all.
Privatize the educational system and let the greedy bastardsss perform in order to receive their pay the same as private industry.
The Globalizer says
Common Core introduces everything that’s needed to QUESTION the current fact-memory system.
You need to look beyond the Limbo cult.
Wendy says
You going to take the job? I know a few teachers, and when you factor in all the homework (a lot of them spend more time on grading than the kids do in creating it), class prep, buying things out of their own pockets because they need it and their budget won’t cover it, you end up with 80-120 hour weeks and a below-minimum wage paycheck.
The Globalizer says
Common Core introduces everything that’s needed to QUESTION the current fact-memory system.
You need to look beyond the Limbo cult.
nj says
Would not have done this if Scalia had not died (?) and tied Supreme court decision had not backed unions.
James says
This sort of thing always makes me think back to the airline controllers demands and the shock they received from President Reagan ….. Will President Obama intervene on behalf of the children ?
Alan says
I have been working for the federal government for over thirty years and I do not even earn six figures. Chicago is one of the most corrupt cities in the country; that is why are Chicago native president Barack Hussein Obama has to his legacy the most corrupt administration in US history.
Jerry says
The Chicago School system is wrought with stealing, and crooked politicians
Bud Webster says
The whole city pal going back to Daley the 1st round. Murder Capitol of the world, where is Obama on that subject manner? Defending radical Arabs, that,s where he,s @. Absolutly no support for Chicago, you,d thing with his Marxist sol alinski Bill ayers back round in community organizing he could help the plight in Chicago, instead, he turns away from it. How is it he has not been impeached
Merril says
Find out what states in America are led by liberal governors and you will see which states are run like crazy people! Then wait and see how things will be if a liberal wins the presidency! America will become nothing!
MDubya says
Time for the great citizens of Illinois to stand up and put an end to this destructive behavior. These teachers, every last one of them, should be fired and their pensions suspended. Time for you all to move out of the system for which you have no respect and hire non-union teachers who might care a little bit more about the children they teach. The whole situation is ridiculous!
cbanalyst says
Chicago voters put these people in office. Now they are getting what they deserve. An immutable law of politics is that you cannot spend more than you take in, or it will spell disaster. No family can, no Church, no club, no city, etc. no gvt. There is NO free lunch.
Conservatives know this, so do Liberals but they continue to spend in order to stay in power. You just know that disaster is certain to follow!
A Very Concerned Veteran Teacher says
AMEN!
Larry says
Most of us have to work for $10 to $15 per hour and the worst teacher in America want more.They suck.
A Very Concerned Veteran Teacher says
GREED! RAISING ITS UGLY HEAD – ONCE AGAIN! KILLING OUR NATION FROM WITHIN 🙁 WE TEACH POVERTY LEVEL STUDENTS EVERY DAY HERE AND HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST SCORES – SO, WHAT IS THEIR EXCUSE? SIMPLY-SOMEONE IS NOT DOING THEIR JOB! PLEASE PAY THEM ON PERFORMANCE / PAY THEM ACCORDING TO THE READING/WRITING/MATHEMATICS SCORES! I’D SAY THAT WOULD BE FAIR – FIRE THOSE WITH FAILING RATES! I’VE WORKED ALMOST 20 YEARS AND CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE A SALARY THAT HIGH AND THEY WANT TO COMPLAIN? EITHER WE DON’T UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE PICTURE OF WHAT’S GOING ON UP THERE OR IT’S SIMPLY “GREED” RAISING ITS UGLY HEAD – ONCE AGAIN!
The Globalizer says
It’s a myth – quit venting about a planted myth!
warren says
I can teach them to live on welfare, rob loot burn and shoot a gun for less than a hundred thousand a year.
DixieBelle says
Back in the dark ages, when I was in school, teacher strikes were unheard of. Teachers cared more about their students than to leave them stranded one month before summer vacation, and without final tests being given and graded. You would think they could swallow their greed until school was out for the summer. This is what unions have done to professions that people used to be proud of. I’m so glad I don’t have kids in school today.
Roy S. Mallmann says
It is the Democrat Progressive way. Greed is the only value that the Chicago employees unions subscribe to. This is exactly why Chicago is not only morally bankrupt, is is financially bankrupt. It is the cesspool of politics in the entire United States and its favorite son, Barack Obama is its best example of success. We are only three months into the year and already Chicago is setting a new record for murders.
Jo says
Outrageous behavior. The children come first, let the teachers walk themselves right off the payroll permanently.
ron says
did you notice the picture
RJ says
Time to pull a Ronald Reagan and FIRE them all for cause. Introduce them to the real world. There are plenty of college grads who could take over those jobs for less pay and do a better job.
Justin W says
Once again we see the greed found in many unions. The people of Chicago need to get these unions under control. It’s probably time for lawmakers to end collective bargaining for government employees. If someone can’t live on $100,000 a year they don’t need to be teaching children.
mike dar says
Reagan had it right, breaking the system the air traffic controllers created, sad to say, now it comes to the teachers union where it has to be broken also.
Arthur Hartsock says
The budget in Chicago is worse than Detroit ever was. And there are cities/states all over our country in a similar situation. (It’s like the Flint, MI water crisis. Cities all over the country are facing the same problem, but they don’t know it yet.) We must get these budgets under control. This problem dwarfs ISIS in comparison.
Jeff says
All Tax Payer Funded Public Schools Are Conveyor Belts To Indoctrination. Which leads me to this statement. Welcome to America. I pray people have their eyes open. From the 60’s I have seen the Incubational, Generational, Development of The Great Welfare Society. Including now, Government Bred Feral Children, All At The Tax Payers Expense. “All Public Schools Should Be Privatized.” But in all honesty I believe it’s to late.
Keifer says
Just terminate the Chicago thieves/terrorists. They are over paid POS and they do not provide a quality education to the students, unless you call free-loading on the tax payer dime 101 a quality education.
Tarheel says
If you want to fix the situation…..fire every damn one of them. If they want a job back they can re-apply along with a crop of new teachers with strict disciplinary rules. Get rid of the unions. However it’s just a pipe dream because Chicago is eat-up with liberalism and it will never happen. As a parent, if you care about your child’s education, either get them into a private school or move the hell out of that shit hole Chicago.
The Globalizer says
This article is deceptive. Perhaps a few teachers who have been in the profession for 35 years and are heads of departments earn 6 figures but a young teacher starting out earns around $32k a year in spite of having a degree plus a masters degree in their discipline. No other profession rewards its employees so badly. Most could leave tomorrow and earn far more as computer technicians or programmers. Yet as well as attempting to educate today ‘s kids, they have to deal with the many societal problems evident today – lack of discipline in the home, alcoholism and drugs, as well as the distraction of a plethora of electronic devices. Common Core should help recapture kids’ interest in education by helping stimulate curiosity and a sense of exploration of the subject matter instead of endless memorizing. My step daughter teaches 3rd grade and the time she spends in class preparation and pupil assessment far exceeds her face time in the classroom. To keep ahead of the tsunami of work she is obliged to work weekends as well as 12 hour days during the week. And as for having lengthy summers off – she is so exhausted at the end of each semester that it takes her several weeks to recover – and there are all those training classes she has to attend as the curriculum keeps changing. So why does she do it? Simply stated, it is a vocation. She loves her kids. And so do most teachers. Articles like these are deceptive and are intended to anger readers. I hope my comments will help address the imbalance.
ray says
Wow do I feel bad for those teachers, where else can you work 180 days a year and still make 30,000.00 plus….maybe the teachers who are complaining about their wages should work at a fast food place 12 months a year without summer time off…. look at the benefits yours meals at half price…. you can work up to seven days a week to try and make 40 hours…… no paid health care…… if you can afford it you can go on ACA.. it should not cost you that much working for minimum wage…… give me a break some of the teachers have been sucking on the golden egg and still want more….. if the job is that bad leave it and go work some where else….
ray says
let them shut down the schools….. if the kids are not learning anything anyhow what is the difference…..let the teachers go and sign up for max UC around 500.00 dollars a week for six months….. if they were even eligible because they walked off their job and volunteer quit…. the UC could be denied….. then have tutors come in to teach the kids at a fraction of the cost…. Greed is what the problem is in this country now……. time to nip it in the butt….
Dave says
A Yearly amount like $100,00 is a nice piece of change to be making. I would be curious to see what teachers nation wide bring home a year.