Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools held their first-ever public contract talks on environmental issues at Marquette Elementary in Chicago Lawn.
CTU President Stacy Davis Gates speaks as CTU/CPS holds a public bargaining session on “healthy, safe, green schools,” at Marquette Elementary on June 14, 2024. Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools held their first-ever public bargaining session emphasizing their agreement on “Green Schools,” a series of proposals aimed at modernizing schools to reduce their environmental impact and mitigate the effects of climate change and air pollution on CPS students.
During the session, CPS and CTU agreed on several safety and environmental goals for the future, though contract negotiations remain ongoing. The union proposes a 4-year contract expiring in 2028, a year earlier than CPS’ proposed 5-year agreement. Despite the union and the district’s shared vision to implement “Green Schools” , the proposal faces substantial headwinds, most notably the district’s $391 million deficit and a fiscal cliff as federal COVID-19 funds run out.
The district’s budget for the 2024-25 school year, delayed until July, is a “crisis” according to CPS Chief Operating Officer Charles Mayfield. “If there’s a grant opportunity, yes, we want to be engaged with you to be able to do that,” Mayfield said.
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