News

Chicago Public Schools: Contract Negotiations Update

It’s Time to End the Culture of Punishment

CPS members challenge unfair punishment on the job

Local 73 held negotiations with the CPS Board twice during the week of November 26th. In each session our goal was to expand due process, worker rights and recourse in the evaluation process, disciplinary procedures and the grievance procedure. We made proposals aimed at greater transparency, not less.

  • Evaluations. Our Union proposed that each of the four steps of the process (orientation, self-assessment, mid-year evaluation, and annual review) are communicated to members better, requires feedback from the evaluator, formal observation, and the right to respond to and appeal evaluation scores below proficient.
  • Discipline and Discharge. We want to make sure that all disciplinary suspensions include the right to grieve and arbitrate if they were not for just cause. We also proposed that overly punitive long suspensions be limited. We, also, want to make sure the Board provides relevant documents used as the basis for disciplinary action are provided in a timely manner.
  • Grievance Procedure. We want the grievance procedure to be clear and understandable. We, also, want reasonable time limits that balance our need to win justice as quickly as possible with a long enough window to make sure that good grievances are not lost because the statute of limitations is too short.

Unfortunately, the CPS Board responded by indicating they are not interested in expanding our rights and giving us greater recourse. Rather, they made it clear that their disrespect for workers is based on their continued marriage to a culture of punishment and control.

They won’t change, unless we stand together and act to demand rights and respect. Every CPS worker represented by SEIU Local 73 needs to:

  1. Sign the Petition in support of our bargaining goals being circulated at your work site
  2. Make sure there is a Contract Captain in your school or worksite
  3. Join our Facebook Group

 

Our next negotiations are:

Monday, December 3

5 pm to 8:30 pm

Chicago Public Schools

42 W. Madison St.

Thursday, December 13

5 pm to 8:30 pm

SEIU Local 73 Office

300 S. Ashland

(4th Floor)

Wednesday, December 19

5 pm to 8:30 pm

(location to be determined)

Thursday, December 20

5 pm to 8:30 pm

SEIU Local 73 Office

300 S. Ashland

(4th Floor)