Chicago City Wire

CHICAGO (July 2, 2024) – The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is advocating for a contract that could cost taxpayers $51.5 billion or more, setting a precedent not seen in other major cities. An analysis by the Illinois Policy Institute reveals that almost none of CTU’s political demands are present in teachers union contracts in New York, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Oakland, Columbus, or Minneapolis.

The CTU's new contract demands extend beyond traditional bargaining topics like wages and benefits. They include carbon-neutral schools, electric buses, stipends for migrant students, and homeless dormitory development—areas typically decided by elected officials rather than union negotiations.

If accepted by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former CTU lobbyist, these demands would make Chicago the first large city to incorporate such provisions into a teachers union contract.

“No other union in the nation is going as far as the Chicago Teachers Union. Its demands highlight its quest for power and expediency, pushing a radical political agenda on parents and students at the taxpayers’ expense,” said Mailee Smith, senior director of labor policy at the Illinois Policy Institute. “The city can’t afford these egregious demands as CPS is already facing a $400 million hole in 2025. But with their former lobbyist in the mayor's office, CTU is well positioned to make off with some of its big-ticket items – which could end up costing Chicagoans billions.”

In 2022, Illinois voters passed Amendment 1 allowing government unions to negotiate over any type of provision and enabling their contracts to supersede state law. The CTU was one of the main supporters of this amendment.

“The union is trying to force legislation and their ideology through collective bargaining instead of through the traditional method of passing legislation. If CTU gets its way, other unions across the country will follow suit,” Smith added.

For further details on how CTU’s demands compare to those in other large school district contracts, visit illin.is/ctucontract.