Illinois Labor Court Denies Union's Latest Effort To Block Chicago School Reopening

Chicago IL

17 December, 2020

12:04 PM

Description

By Yana Kunichoff, Chalkbeat Chicago: A state labor court on Thursday denied the Chicago Teachers Union's request to delay the district's school reopening plans, clearing the latest legal challenge to an imminent school reopening. The ruling — which was a 2-1 split, with two board members voting to deny the union's request — is a setback to teachers' efforts to challenge reopening plans on the grounds that Chicago Public Schools has not bargained with them in good faith. It is unlikely to be their last effort. The first round of Chicago teachers is expected to return to buildings on Jan. 4. Despite months of negotiations, the city's teachers union and the school district have failed to reach a written agreement. The union has said that the district is bargaining in good faith and not sending its top leadership to negotiations; the district, meanwhile, said the union was late to bring forward concrete proposals. The growing intensity of the conflict is reminiscent of last fall, when teachers walked out on an 11-day strike after weeks of stalled negotiations.Even as the district and union continue to meet regularly, district leaders said they don't expect to have a written agreement with the union ahead of January's reopening, and they plan to press ahead without it. The district commended the decision, calling it a ruling that would help solve "an educational crisis that can only be addressed by safely opening our doors." Thursday's vote, taken by the three members of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, was split 2-1, with board member Lynne Sered voting in favor of an injunction. Sered's argument — that health and safety of union members is a mandatory subject of bargaining — is in line with the union's argument on reopening. The request is part of an ongoing legal strategy by the union to force Chicago Public Schools to negotiate the terms of its reopening through an unfair labor practice lawsuit. The case which the injunction was part of has still not been decided. On Wednesday, Chicago Public Schools released survey data showing that slightly more than 1 in 3 K-8 students planned to return to school buildings when they reopen in early 2021. The district plans to bring back pre-kindergarten and some special education students on Jan. 11; it will reopen classrooms for K-8 students on Feb. 1. Chicago has not yet set a reopening date for its high schools. This story was originally published by Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization covering public education. Sign up for their newsletters here.