Chicago Teachers Union’s “Illegal Strike” Comes to an Uncertain End

On January 4th, after non-stop severe spikes in COVID cases in Chicago schools, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), representing 25,000 teachers and school personnel, refused to show up to their in-person classes until changes were made to the city’s health precautions.

Although 91% of Chicago school teachers and staff are vaccinated, along with around half of children aged 12 and older, members of the CTU have been growing increasingly concerned with the rapid growth in cases. Chicago hospitals have been seeing 4,600 daily cases, rising steadily each week, with seven a day being children.

The main demand proposed by the CTU was for the schools to reinstate virtual learning, as they did at the start of the pandemic. The Union also called for students to provide negative tests when they return in-person for further safety. The motion, supported by 73% of union members, lasted for five days, keeping 340,000 students from attending school. In quick response, a group of parents alleged this was an illegal strike, although the union attested otherwise, and intended to harm the school system by violating the terms of the CTU’s collective bargaining agreement. A lawsuit was quickly brought forth to Cook County Circuit Court on January 7th, with parents claiming, “CTU members voted to refuse to teach under the conditions set forth by CPS. That is a strike by definition.”

The CTU agreed to return to their classes on January 12th, under the agreement that Chicago Public schools would allow for stricter COVID testing, along with the option to teach remotely until January 18th, and possibly beyond with the approval of the Chicago school system. In addition, the Liberty Justice Center continues with the lawsuit brought by the parents, hoping to restrict any further actions by the CTU that might be harmful to Chicago schools and their system.

This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group Blog. If you are in need of legal aid, CIMA Law Group is a law firm in Phoenix, Arizona which possesses expertise in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.