Surviving Capitalism (Not) : All Eyes on Chicago’s Teachers

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

All Eyes on Chicago’s Teachers

Click here to access article by Shamus Cooke from Workers Action.

This writer, who specializes in labor issues, sees the current struggle by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) to obtain a decent contract as pivotal for future union battles, especially in the public sector where pressure to reduce employee costs have been pursued most aggressively by the One Percent.

This article is based on a previous report from the CTU and probably should be read first to understand the issues in this union's negotiations with Chicago Public Schools.

CTU has been in contract negotiations with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) since November 2011. Teachers have been without a contract since June of this year after its five-year agreement with the District expired without a new agreement in place. Labor leaders have said they are negotiating for a “better day, job security and fair compensation for employees.”

Cooke suggests that this union is offering a positive model for vigorous union organizing and actions that are capable of leading a successful fightback against austerity cutbacks everywhere.