April 2010 Unionthe Official Publicationteacher of the Chicago Teachers Union
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The Inside Stories... Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 12 Page 16 Volume 73 Number 6 April 2010 UNIONThe Official PublicationTEACHER of the Chicago Teachers Union Arbitration win ‘a great victory’ for teachers By John A. Ostenburg, Stewart’s interpretation of the in appropriate positions in the parties’ current collective Editor Emeritus contractual agreement between order to determine any “actual bargaining agreement.” the CTU and the Chicago Board (financial) harm” done to any Arbitrator Meyers further he Chicago Teachers of Education. of them. notes that, “[Ms.] Stewart Union has scored a According to the arbitration President Stewart was one testified that at the very end of major victory on behalf decision, the Chicago Public of four CTU representatives those negotiations, one of the of displaced teachers Schools officials were ordered who testified in the arbitration main issues that the Union was in the Chicago Public to “immediately cease and de- hearings. In his summary ruling, trying to resolve was the very TSchools. The victory also pro- sist from imposing any ‘aging’ Arbitrator Meyers states that issue presented here. [Ms.] tects any teachers who will be or waiting period to the process “[Ms.] Stewart was the Union’s Stewart stated that the Union displaced in the future. of filling vacancies” from the chief negotiator during the repeatedly raised the issue of Peter R. Meyers, an indepen- reassignment pool. negotiations that culminated in (Continued on page 4) dent arbitrator, recently issued He also ruled that the Union a ruling that clarifies the rights and CPS have 90 days dur- displaced teachers in the reas- ing which they must review the 5 CTU officers, staff and members sat down for dinner with Dr. signment pool have regarding records of teachers who were Diane Ravitch. Read what she had to say about education. placement in open CPS positions affected by earlier failure on and upholds President Marilyn the part of CPS to place them 10 Read the latest news from the AFL-CIO and the AFT. 12 Meet Golden Apple winner Gloria Moyer in this month’s teacher feature. INSIDE APRIL CHICAGO UNION TEACHER STAFF EDITORIAL l Melani L. Davis Editor l Jenny D. Celander FOOLS — Associate Editor l Augustine Johnson Advertising Manager l EDITORIAL BOARD John A. Ostenburg EVERY Editor Emeritus, Chairperson Melani L. Davis Jenny D. Celander ONE OF US! CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION OFFICERS by Melani Davis, Editor l these cuts will bring.) or worse yet, an incredibly cruel Marilyn Stewart President f you haven’t yet had an The article goes on to admon- one. For so long, we have been opportunity to read the ish the Board for everything shouting about the inconsisten- l Mary A. McGuire cover story in the April 1, from shady bookkeeping to cies and ridiculous mistakes CPS Recording Secretary 2010, edition of the Chi- outright greed and blatant lies. has made; for so long we have l Mark A. Ochoa cago Reader, take the time And, in conclusion, there is the talked about the bullying and Financial Secretary 3 Ito check it out. On one level, it suggestion that CPS officials outright lies against teachers. l Linda Porter is immensely satisfying, while on may have deliberately orches- As satisfying as it is to be Treasurer right, there is also the feeling another, it seems like a particu- trated this whole current mess. The CHICAGO UNION TEACHER is published larly cruel April Fool’s joke. “I think Huberman’s taking a that this is some cruel April eight times a year in September, Oc- A cartoon schoolgirl appears page from his old CTA play- Fool’s prank. And we are all the tober, November, December/January, on the newspaper’s cover ask- book here: he wants to frighten foolish victims. February, March, April and May/June. ing the headline question: the public into action. He While Ron Huberman and The CHICAGO UNION TEACHER is the official ‘THE CHICAGO PUBLIC started with tough talk in June, CPS bureaucrats were wring- publication of the Chicago Teachers Union, which is the exclusive bargaining SCHOOLS ARE BROKE. dutifully covered by the press, ing their hands and criticizing teachers for being unwilling to agent for teachers, school clerks, library SO WHY ARE CEO RON of central office cuts, which assistants, vision/audiometric technicians, “give back,” they continued to HUBERMAN AND OTHER puts pressure on teachers and teacher assistants, school community repre- TOP BUREAUCRATS TAKING pensioners to make sacrifices. generously line their own pock- sentatives, and related services personnel. RAISES?‘ Then he followed up with doom ets during a financial crisis. How Chicago Teachers Union • Local 1 Ameri- The ensuing story gives and gloom projections about “foolish” that the public, the me- can Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO. dia, and certain legislators were juicy details of this year’s CPS increasing class sizes from 30 to The CHICAGO UNION TEACHER is affiliated budget. It touts raises afforded 371, firing thousands of teach- willing to get on board with this with the International Labor Communica- not only to top CPS brass, but ers, and closing magnet schools selfish bureaucracy and hang tions Association and the AFT Communi- to their administrators, and and gifted programs. The point teachers out to dry. How foolish cations Network. their administrators’ assistants, is to build public pressure until of teachers to hope that CPS Chicago Teachers Union affiliations as well. We get descriptions of the teachers relent and the would see the long-term effects include the Chicago Federation of Labor well-padded but vague depart- state sends more money.” of these cuts on our children (CFL), the Illinois State Federation of La- mental budgets, with increased —Jarovsky, Ben. “Do as We Say, Not as We Do.” and our communities. How fool- bor-Congress of Industrial Organizations spending in such areas as non- Chicago Reader April 1, 2010 ish to assume that this broken (ISFL-CIO), the American Federation of professional services; travel; • • • system is even capable of doing Labor-Congress of Industrial Organiza- tions (AFL-CIO), the Illinois Federation seminars, fees, subscriptions The satisfying part of the what is right and decent by our children. of Teachers (IFT), and the American and professional memberships. article comes in that it finally of- Federation of Teachers (AFT). APRIL 2010 All of this at a time when fers some validation. Our Union 1 So far, this school year, class size referrals have 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza • Suite 400 • teachers, students and parents has been saying all along that Chicago, IL 60654-1016 have been asked to bear the CPS must put its own financial been filed for more than 190 classes, with class sizes exceeding contractual limits. The class size 312-329-9100 • Switchboard burden of some incredibly pain- house in order before crying panel continues to visit schools in violation. ful and impossible cuts. (How poor.2 Officials need to exam- 312-329-6235 • Newspaper Office 2 particularly insulting when you ine every other avenue before In August 2009, CTU President Marilyn Stewart Email: [email protected] spoke at the Board meeting citing outrageous [email protected] take into account the months glibly ordering wholesale cuts payroll errors made by CPS. of heartbreaking testimony the to classroom teachers, aides [email protected] 3 Website: www.ctunet.com Board has just been presented and programs, all of which Through the summer 2009, the CTU worked with the Chicago Sun Times to survey CPS teachers about the with during the school closing directly threaten the well-being CHICAGO UNION TEACHER pressure they had received to change grades. Mayor • hearings. The members heard of children. Either CPS is an Richard M. Daley and CPS officials responded to the 2 first-hand about the devastation incredibly stupid bureaucracy, survey by blaming teachers for “cheating students.” PRESIDENT’S REPORT PRESIDENT’S DIARY l On March 1, Presi- dent Marilyn Stewart by Marilyn Stewart, President attended the Chicago ’m sure it doesn’t come as Federation of Labor a huge surprise to anyone Board meeting. when I say that teachers l On March 6, Presi- in this country are under dent Stewart and the attack. We’ve watched the Chicago Teachers Inews, we’ve read the news- Union officers and papers, and, unfortunately, in In Chicago, we’ve experi- media paints us as greedy with staff participated in the last few months we’ve even enced this first-hand. Our district our “fat” pension pay-outs, but the annual delegate’s heard our President applaud the cried poor and the media aimed fail to mention that our pensions workshops held at decision to fire an entire staff at the teachers. Of course it are deferred compensation and three locations around of teachers at a high school in must be our four percent raise help balance the fact that teach- the city. Rhode Island. and our huge pensions. ers don’t get Social Security. l On March 13, Presi- This country’s education Chicago Public Schools lack Our own American Fed- dent Stewart spoke system is flawed and our equality in district-wide funding eration of Teachers President to PSRPs at the CTU politicians and media sources and supplies but when a school Randi Weingarten recently PSRP delegates work- have found a scapegoat — the in a poorer neighborhood is spoke about the war against shop held at Prosser teachers working in America’s struggling it must be the fault of teachers. In her remarks she High School. classrooms. the teachers. CPS would rather cautioned that no one wants No, of course the fault could wipe out the school’s staff than to hear from teachers who say l On Monday, March not lie with the high-paid educa- have to analyze the social and “It’s not our fault, it’s not our 15, President Stewart tion stakeholders and their poor economic issues that make that fault.” Instead, she explained attended the Chicago decisions.