HOD Meeting

Report on the Two Special Meetings of the House of Delegates on February 7 and 8, 2021

By George Milkowski

    February 7, 2021 Meeting

The meeting began at 4:35 p.m..

The CTU held an all-member meeting earlier in the day to present and discuss details of the framework agreement with the CPS over the return to in-person learning in the schools.  Pres. Jesse Sharkey said that the Union felt that there was no more to be gained; that we either accept it or go on strike which would be hard to conduct due to the winter weather and also it would be difficult to determine who would be a scab since the CPS could have them work via remote learning.  He also said court challenges to a strike may be successful which could lead to fines against the Union and against individuals.

Jesse then went through the summary of the framework quickly. It does not have a return date for high school teachers but “there is a commitment to bargain for high schools” in the agreement. 

  February 8, 2021 Meeting

Pres. Sharkey began with the announcement with this morning’s death of former President Karen Lewis.  Our elected officers, Christel Williams Hayes, Maria Morino, and Stacy Davis Gates all added comments and remembrances of Pres. Lewis.

All of the officers then made comments about the return to in-person work framework agreement.  Jesse summarized our ability to get and apply public and political pressure on Mayor Lightfoot and the CPS Board.  He stated he did not feel we would be able to get anything more from them.  He said if the proposal presented to the House of Delegates and the membership were rejected, we would probably be on strike by Thursday, February 11.

The official wording of the proposal is “Do you authorize the CTU conduct a referendum among our CPS membership to ratify or reject the proposed framework”?

At this point the meeting opened up to comments and questions from the floor.

Jackson Potter (Back of the Yards H. S.) supports it but questioned the plans of the CPS to continue its expressed plans to carry through with already started discipline procedures on about three dozen members.  CTU counsel Thad Goodchild said that the CTU will challenge any attempt to take action against some of the Union activists but not others who are accused of doing the same thing.  He also said that the CPS lawyers feel that the Union would win on this.

Erin Murphy spoke against the proposal.  She is concerned as to whether the CTU can actually protect and win its case against those teachers who have had disciplinary proceedings started against them.

Charles Beavers (Citywide Instructional Leader) asked how his category of teachers fit in to the framework.  Jesse said he thinks they will be going back to in-person learning under the K-5 return schedule.

Luisana Regidor (Kennedy H.S.) was not re-assured that high school teachers will get a decent deal.

Margaret Taylor (Chappel) said her faculty is confused.  A CPS e-mail they received that morning assumes the framework has already been approved and requires them to commit to returning to work by 5:00 p.m. today (February 9).  Jesse told her that they are wrong if they assume that accepting the deadline with jeopardize their ability to request and receive an Americans with Disabilities Act accommodation.  Jesse added that all parts of the framework would be grieveable.

Alex Forque (Carver) was concerned about returning to work after getting just the first shot of the vaccine.  Jesse said that problem is getting enough vaccine for everyone to have the second shot so the agreement is to return after one shot.

Quentin Washington (Sadlowski) has been locked out since January12 and said that if we vote this down we would have to be prepared for what comes next.

Karen Soto (Waters) supports the framework as the newly established safety committees in each school would give teachers new powers to possibly shut down individual schools and she urged all to make use of this power.

Dennis Kosuth (School Nurse) opposes the framework.  He cited the disparity that exists between those nationwide who are now getting the vaccines, mostly white people, while the death rates are so much higher for people of color.  He thinks the framework re-enforces this disparity.

Linda Perales, locked out for a month, feels the framework is not what we deserve but is probably the best we can get.

Leticia Chevas (Daley) opposes the vaccination schedule and other aspects of the framework but will vote “yes” on it.

LaTanya Waters (Parker) is in favor of the proposal as she feels we may lose all that has been gained so far if we reject it.

Samantha Williams called the question, i.e., motioned to end debate.  The debate ended and the House voted 526 ayes, 82 noes, and 12 abstentions.  As a retiree member I am not permitted to vote on an issue such as this.

Question and Answers/New Business

Michael Smith (Englewood STEM) motioned to allow House delegates to donate their stipend to those who have lost pay from the lockouts.  Jesse referred this to a Union committee as there may be legal and/or tax problems if this is done.

Andrew Chen (Gillspie) asked for a vote of no confidence on Lightfoot and the CPS Board.  This motion was approved and the vote was 90% yes, 7% no, and 3% abstain.  I voted “yes” on this.

Ariel Stewart (Bright) said there were four confirmed cases of the Covid 19 infection at her school and questioned how effective the framework will be.  Jesse said that under the framework her school may be shut down for two weeks if the cases are unrelated, i.e., not people from all in the same family.

Quetzalli Castro described this as a “shit deal” and said we deserve better.

Erin Kelley (Nathan Davis) questioned the ventilations reports that use CO 2 levels as a metric for classroom safety.  She said her father is an environmental scientist and called this method “bullshit”.   

The meeting adjourned about 8:28 p.m.