HOD Jan

Report on the Meeting of the House of Delegates on January 6, 2021

By George Milkowski

Please note:  Because of the COVID 19 pandemic, this meeting was conducted as a webinar via a video conference

The meeting began at 4:41 p.m..

I. Officer Reports

A. Recording Secretary Christel Williams-Hayes – Christel said that the CTU is continuing its fight to keep members from returning to in person learning while the pandemic is raging.  She reminded delegates that the arbitrator’s decision last month said that specific workers could work remotely from home four days a week.  She stressed that clerks are NOT to take temperatures of students and the Union needs to know if there are HEPA filters on the machines in the offices

B. Financial Report Kathy Catalano – Kathy said that we are about $290,000 over in budgeted income but we also have additional expenses due to charter school organizing.  The Covid pandemic has also increased our spending by about $120,000 for legal fees in our current negotiations with the CPS, conducting town hall meetings, paying for surveys, podcasts and so on.

Currently, we are $4,000,000 in the red but this is about $400,000 better than last year at this time.  With more dues coming in, Kathy expects the Union to be in the black by April.

C. Recording Secretary Maria Moreno – Our membership is 28,076, of which about 2.000 are retiree members.

Delegate elections are being held and so far have been finished in about 160 schools.  This is a low number and delegates were urged to start and carry out the specified process if they wish to be recognized and seated for the February House meeting

D. Vice President Stacy Davis Gates  - Stacy admitted to being distracted about the events in Washing, D.C. (throngs of people marching on the Capitol Building) but stressed that our solidarity is our strength.  We have to view the Union not just as dues paying members but also include parents and community allies.  She cited a letter signed by three dozen alderpersons questioning the CTU plans on returning to in person learning and support for that position from a number of LSCs in the City as an example of our impact and our connections.

Stacy made a distinction between “common good unionism” and “bread and butter unionism” and said that by choosing “common good unionism” we have a lot of allies on out side; that we are not alone and should not feel alone.

II. President’s Report – Jesse Sharkey

Pres. Sharkey started off by recognizing the fear and anxiety members are feeling.  He said we must all reach out to co-workers for mutual support.

Jesse said we are having an impact on the public narrative.  He said that in the ongoing talks with the CPS that Board negotiators for the first time seemed more open to suggestions from the CTU, but he added that favorable public opinion doesn’t guarantee victory.  He said Janet Jackson admitted that the CPS plan is to get every worker back into the buildings by the end of the month and the Board’s actions for this week are just the start but our resistance has slowed their plans.  He rhetorically asked how can the Board threaten Special Ed teachers with firing if they cannot find enough people to fill all the Special Ed positions that exist now?   Despite CPS threats, he has not heard of a single incidence of anyone being disciplined.

Regarding the possibility of an Unfair Labor Practice strike, Jesse said there is nothing in the law that favors our position nor does it NOT favor our position.  Therefore, if an ULP takes place, a judge may rule in favor of the Board.  To that end the Union has a strategy to build pressure on the CPS in three phases.  

III. Items for Action

The only Item for Action was to approve a resolution for the CTU to Support Instructional Support Leaders.  There are about 100 in these positions in the CPS system and they have been denied a pay raise that all other CTU members have received.  The resolution passed 93% to 2%, with 5% abstaining.  I voted “yes” on this matter

IV. Department/Committee Reports 

A.  Organizing – Matthew Luskin.  Matthew stressed the need for solidarity.  He said that reports, based on a CTU safety check list, indicate that required temperature checks, mask wearing, and the installation of HEPA filters are NOT being carried out despite CPS statements to the public

B. Grievance –Latoyia Kimbrough, CTU in-house attorney – Latoyia addressed issues of the right to work remotely, health screening affidavits and ADA requests being denied.  She said that no documentation is required if one is expressing one’s right to not work in unsafe conditions.  She said that one should just submit a letter stating as much to the principal.

C. Political/Legislative - Kurt Hilgendorf – Kurt said that the lame duck meeting of the General Assembly might vote on HB 2267, a bill that would establish a representative elected school board in Chicago.  Another bill, HB 2275, which would restore full bargaining rights to the CTU, may be voted on by Monday, January 11.  He asked delegates to spread the word to their co-workers and ask them to contact their state senators in support of these two measures.  Both of them have already passed the House.

The CTU will also be conducting a training session on “how to talk to your elected politician”.  Contact Kurt at KurtHilgendorf@ctulocal1.org if you are interested.

D. CTU-ACTS – Chris Baehrend – Chris reported that Latino Youth H.S. is in its 19th week of refusing to return to in person learning.  There have been NO cases of teachers or staff being disciplined for not reporting to the building.

Chris also said that Passages E.S. teachers and staff were told they must report to the school on January 14.  Negotiations about this are underway.

V. New Business/Questions and Answers

A high school delegate would like to have an energetic and hard working PSRP member be elected as an associate delegate to the CTU’s House of Delegates from Young.  Jesse responded by saying the Union’s constitution states the members of the House must be teachers but he referred the issue to the CTU’s PSRP Committee for further consideration and recommendations.

Another high school delegate asked if teachers can put out a “report card” on principals.  Jesse said no, but they may want to have an informal one. The principals association objected because they say it is akin to the infamous Do Not Hire List for CPS teachers that the union has fought against.

A delegate asked for confirmation that some principals are “looking the other way” when it comes to requiring faculty and staff to report to the schools.  Jesse didn’t confirm this but he said it might be happening.

Paula Sontog asked if a teacher would lose their pension if they were fired for not reporting to a school.  Jesse said that if the teacher is vested then their pension is safe.  He added though, that there is safety and strength in numbers and that the CPS has a progressive discipline structure so being fired would not happen immediately or quickly.

Time ended but a motion to extend debate passed 62-38%.  I voted to extend debate.

One delegate asked if teachers would really have to go into work if they are “terrified” to do so.  Jesse said they could ask for a leave or use their sick days.

Another delegate asked where the letters of support from her LSC should be sent.  Jesse will have Lightfoot’s e-mail address, Janet Jackson’s at the CPS and others posted on the CTU website.

Lastly, one delegate just commented she was concerned that  if we act too slowly or wait too long and the public sees kids back in the classroom and things are going smoothly, that our opposition to returning to in person learning will collapse.

The meeting then ended at 7:06 p.m.