Chicago Teachers Union Votes to End Strike!!!

Dear Commons Community,

The Chicago Teachers Union voted Tuesday to suspend the city’s first teachers strike in 25 years, ending a now week-and-a-half-long protest that has kept the city’s 350,000 students out of school for seven days.

The decision comes after more than two hours of closed-door talks among union members, and two days after a move to continue the strike to allow more time for educators to review contract details. The extensive time without class in session also prompted Mayor Rahm Emanuel to seek an injunction Monday that would have forced teachers back to schools. The judge, however, delayed the ruling until Wednesday in anticipation of Tuesday’s vote, deeming the legal argument a moot point if the union were to freeze the strike.

“We feel very positive about moving forward,” CTU President Karen Lewis said in a press conference following Tuesday’s meeting. “People were actually elated to take the suspension of the strike vote…. We couldn’t solve all the problems in the world with one contract, so people voted to end the strike.”

Congratulations to President Lewis and members of the Chicago Teachers Union!

Tony

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