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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 3:29 p.m. ET: CHICAGO -- Amid a dispute over pay and longer school days, Chicago teachers have voted to authorize a strike, the union said Monday.
Leaders of the Chicago Teachers Union, which represents 25,000 members, say the vote gives the union the legal authority to call a strike in the fall and provides "added leverage" in negotiations with the city.
"While the Union has made no determination on whether a strike will be needed, leaders say the authorization vote has now given them added leverage at the bargaining table," teachers union spokeswoman Stephanie Gadlin said in a statement.
Even with the authorization, a walkout couldn't happen until at least mid-August under a process laid out in Illinois law, according to The Chicago Tribune. Upwards of 400,000 students would be affected.
The vote not only exceeded the 75 percent required by state law, but some school networks voted 100 percent to authorize a strike, the union said.
"We're pleased," Gadlin told NBCChicago.com, but added: "We know there will be challenges by [Chicago Public Schools].
Read NBCChicago.com's coverage of Chicago teacher's votes
Officials with Chicago Public Schools have called the vote premature. Chicago Public Schools’ CEO Jean-Claude Brizard has questioned why the vote was held before the district has made its final offer and before the recommendation by an independent fact-finder.
“The Chicago Teachers Union leadership pushed their members to authorize a strike before giving them the opportunity to consider the independent fact finder’s compromise report due in July," Brizard said in a statement. "That's a shame. The CTU leadership left the teachers with a choice between a strike and nothing -- that's a false choice. As a former teacher, I am disappointed that union leadership would rush their members to vote for a strike before having the complete information on the table."
The strike authorization vote began Wednesday, and according to union officials, 91.55 percent of union members cast a ballot. The tallied votes give the union legal authority to call a strike in the fall.
Teachers and school officials are in contract negotiations but union leaders say they are far apart when it comes to teacher pay and how teachers will be compensated for longer school days.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel last year rescinded a four percent pay increase and pushed for a longer school day. CPS has since proposed a five-year contract which guarantees teachers a two percent raise in their first year and lengthens the school day by 10 percent.
Union officials are pushing for a two-year contract that would reduce class sizes and give teachers a 24 percent raise in their first year and a five percent raise the second year.
"This is a reflection of the treatment we as teachers have been subjected to this year," David Rose, a teacher at Roberto Clemente Community Academy told NBCChicago.com. "The posturing of the board of education has created such misery and suffering and discontent that we needed to send a message."
Financial reports show the school system has a $700 million budget shortfall.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The public school system in this country is a total disgrace for what we spend in taxpayers money for our children to have a decent education. As for the teachers of Chicago if they are dissatisfied with what they have been offered for a pay raise, they are free to look elsewhere for employment. It is high time to bring the unions back to their senses.
And Rahm Emanuel expects us to put all that extra time in the class room and teach as well?
I didn't sign up to have to try to teach these kids as well as put in an additional hour and a half a day. I thought it was extra time and pay to grade all the F papers.
blah, blah, blame the teachers. They already are essentially volunteers. Oh, they never have to spend hours at home preparing lesson plans or creating special study units or grading tests or reading reports or responding to parents or tutoring students after the school day. Riiight it's a 9-5, 40hr a week job. And don't tell me about 9 months on and 3 months off. Many teach part or all of summer school programs or work seasonal jobs just to make ends meet. I happen to know this first hand. How many people with a MA, MS or Ph.D. in the private sector would work for less than 60k? In fact, those of you shooting your mouth off on here ought to tell us what your most advanced degree is and how much you make or made last year before commenting further. If not, your comments are ignored. Ferme-la.
Union officials are pushing for a two-year contract that would reduce class sizes and give teachers a 24 percent raise in their first year and a five percent raise the second year.
Typical union demand. Where else does someone see a 30% raise in their wages in a 2 year time period besides unions or government?
Of all the unions, the NEA is the worst - they believe they should dictate what is taught in the classroom (to socially engineer [brainwash] our kids) and they think they should not be held accountable when a majority of the kids fail standardized tests.
The Dept. of Education is a big waste of taxpayer dollars & should be eliminated. Teacher unions have too much power and not enough accountability.
Ron-1861300
Charter Schools USA is a merit based system. Their charter school test scores exceeded all of the local public schools in my area and that was no easy feat. The teachers are getting a bonus of $1500 per teacher. What a slap in the face if you call that merit pay!
What some fail to consider is that when my 7 1/2 hour day is finished, I must still stay another 30 minutes for tutorials before and after the school day. Then at home I work another 3 to 4 hours grading papers, calling parents, lesson plans, etc... I earn every penny I receive! Who has time for sex!
I forgot to add that there was no step pay last year nor will there be this coming year. I have been teaching 14 years in Texas and earn $40K per year. Where is my "union"? Trying to get Obama elected again.
Joan, have you ever thought that just maybe the money you give to the union would be better spent by you? The biggest problem with unions over the last 40 years is they stopped existing to serve their members and now only exist to serve their own political agenda where only the ones at the top (aka fatcat union bosses) are the ones richly rewarded while members only get crumbs from the table.
Union hierarchy, democrats version of trickle down economics.
The biggest problem with unions over the last 40 years is they stopped existing to serve their members and now only exist to serve their own political agenda where only the ones at the top (aka fatcat union bosses) are the ones richly rewarded while lowly members only get crumbs from the table. Whose getting more union $$$ & perks, the union member or the shop steward? Who gets more union $$$ & perks the union member or the company union rep?
Union hierarchy: democrats version of trickle down economics.
double post.
Longer school days will not help unless students are behaving themselves and putting forth effort to study and learn.
I hope that was a typo by the article writer. A 24% raise? What? I hope it was supposed to be a 2-4% raise. I would love to have a 24% raise! And I would work really hard if I thought I could get it!
It's shocking that teachers would object to a pay cut and longer hours.
How dare they?