Stacy Davis Gates Champions CTU’s Demands, Shifts Pension Talks to City Hall!
In a bold stand at a press conference on Monday, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates passionately championed the union’s proposals for a new contract, even as the Chicago Public Schools grapple with serious financial challenges stemming from a contentious pension payment burdening non-teaching CPS staff.
Historically covered by City Hall, the hefty $175 million pension payment was shifted to CPS under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot. In the midst of pivotal contract negotiations, Davis Gates shifted the spotlight back to the mayor—who, incidentally, has a background as a teacher and was once an ally of the union.
With Mayor Brandon Johnson having once been part of the CTU team that criticized Lightfoot’s decision, the irony thickened when he too requested CPS to shoulder the pension cost, all while the city’s budget is already stretched to the limit.
In her fiery address, Davis Gates proclaimed, “This is not the fifth floor of Chicago City Hall. It’s not. You all make very wrong assumptions about the interconnectedness of these places.”
According to Johnson’s recently passed budget, CPS is set to receive an unprecedented $311 million surplus from tax-increment financing (TIF) district funds this year.
TIF surplus arises from the increase in property values within designated districts in the city, with allocations determined by aldermen based on community needs.
However, that surplus may not be sufficient to simultaneously meet the CTU’s ambitious contract demands and cover the $175 million pension payment. CTU’s research director, Pavlyn Jankov, revealed that after all expenses are tallied, there’s only about $140 million available. Following the briefing, the union remained tight-lipped on the complete cost of their proposals.
CPS did not provide immediate commentary regarding the union’s claims.
Yet, Jankov remains hopeful, asserting that the TIF funds could serve as crucial “bridge financing” for advancing the contract.
“You have a situation where the board can actually, now, if it weren’t for Pedro standing in the way, actually implement a budget that meets our contract demands for the short-term period,” Jankov stated, referring to CPS CEO Pedro Martinez.
The timeline for this “bridge” funding to cover the costs of a new four-year contract remains uncertain.
Tensions have escalated between Johnson and Martinez over a proposed high-interest loan aimed at covering the pension payment, a plan that Martinez argued could plunge the district into financial chaos. Martinez’s steadfastness against the loan has contributed to his looming dismissal, as the current seven-member board sought his removal without cause in late December.
Davis Gates was clear on Monday: the pension payment and any potential loans fall squarely outside her purview. She emphasized that the available TIF funds should be enough to seal the deal on a contract that has been under negotiation since April.
“The TIF was good for Rahm, it was good for Lori, how come it ain’t good for Brandon?” Davis Gates challenged. “Those two men can continue to figure that out. We are figuring out how to land a contract, a contract that will reshape the educational landscape in Chicago.”
As negotiations continue, both the union and CPS are sorting through “non-economic issues” that encompass what defines a “school day” for teachers and students. Key points of contention include necessary planning time for educators and the impact of standardized testing, which union members argue disproportionately burdens Black teachers in predominantly Black schools.
Recent updates from the bargaining table have highlighted research indicating that the teacher evaluation program tied to student performance—known as REACH—can deter teachers from entering the profession. The union contends that its proposals will bolster support for Black educators, an issue they are actively tackling through a teacher mentorship program.
Cook County Commissioner Tara Stamps, who oversees the mentorship program, shared her own struggles with the REACH evaluation system.
“It did not matter how many prom dresses I had bought or luncheon outfits, or how many children I sat by while they lost a parent or a brother. It did not matter who I was and what I gave to my classroom,” Stamps expressed.
Stamps emphasized the urgency of addressing the issues highlighted by the data, advocating for quick action on the union’s contract proposals.
“They’re saying they’re OK with our babies not having what they deserve … by not pivoting in this moment to say we recognize that the way that this tool has been used is inappropriate,” she said. “And we are prepared to change that.”
