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CPS and CTU leaders clash over stalled contract negotiations

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Published  January 3, 2025 6:54pm CST
Chicago Public Schools
FOX 32 Chicago

CPS and CTU leaders clash over stalled contract negotiations

Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and CPS leaders are at an impasse in contract negotiations, with little progress made despite meetings throughout December.

The Brief

    • Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and CPS leaders are at an impasse in contract negotiations, with little progress made despite meetings throughout December.
    • CTU President Stacy Davis Gates criticized CPS CEO Pedro Martinez for stalling talks and blocking board involvement, while Martinez argued that CTU refuses to formalize agreements and insists on unrealistic salary and staffing demands.
    • With the new hybrid elected school board set to be sworn in soon, it’s unlikely that a new contract will be reached before then.

CHICAGO - Hundreds of thousands of Chicago Public Schools students are set to return from winter break, while CPS and CTU leaders continue negotiations on a new deal. 

Both sides held dueling press conferences on Friday, signaling little progress despite ongoing talks.

CTU President Stacy Davis Gates accused CPS of stalling progress, claiming CPS is not prioritizing an agreement. "We should have an agreement," Davis Gates said at an afternoon press conference. "We should’ve had one months ago."

She also criticized CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, calling him "the supreme being" for blocking school board involvement in contract talks. 

"We want to recruit and train Black educators. Our ‘supreme being’ has to agree to that," she added.

Martinez countered, saying the two sides have made progress, meeting 23 times in December alone. He also said CTU refuses to formalize verbal agreements and remains inflexible on salary demands, which have been reduced from 9% to between 5% and 6%. Martinez is offering 4-5%.

"As we move toward a final agreement and we enter new budget season with a $500 million structural deficit, we need to maintain our current proposal for the fiscal health of the school system," Martinez said.

Chicago teachers are among the highest paid in the nation, earning $96,000 per year. CTU has also demanded the hiring of 14,000 additional staff, which Martinez says would cost the district $5 billion. 

Davis Gates contends Martinez has refused to attend negotiations.

"Pedro’s not at the table, so when you speak to him, he’s speaking from a place of politics and keeping his job," she said.

Martinez, however, stressed his commitment to reaching an agreement that rewards teachers without overburdening taxpayers already facing massive CPS debt.

"We are negotiating in good faith, and we’ll continue to negotiate, but the eventual agreement must align with our strategic plan and be sustainable. If we overextend today, it will be our children and staff that pay the price tomorrow," Martinez said.

With less than two weeks until the new hybrid elected school board is sworn in, it appears unlikely that a new contract will be in place by then.

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