HOD Nov.

Report on the Meeting of the House of Delegates on November 3, 2021

By George Milkowski

I. Officer Reports

A. Recording Secretary Christel Williams-Hayes was absent due to a family emergency.  Pres. Jessie Sharkey gave a very brief summary of her report.  There is a PSRP personnel shortage but the CPS has agreed to hire 150 new PSRPs.  Delegates are asked to inform the Union if vacant positions are not filled soon.

B. Financial Report Kathy Catalano – Our fiscal year started July 1 and her report is only for two months.  The union expenditures are about $1.3 million per month not counting “pass throughs” to the IFT and the AFT.  We have not yet received any dues payments from the CPS so we are in the red right now.  On the plus side, the lease on our old location in the Merchandise Mart is over and we will no longer be required to make monthly payments on that.

C. Recording Secretary Maria Moreno – Maria reported that membership is up to 27,800 and of that 1,810 are retirees. 

Maria also said that, following the rules in the CTU constitution and by-laws, the Executive Board has appointed Erin Lynch to fill a vacancy on the CTU Board of Trustees.  The House is asked to approve her appointment to the Board of Trustees.  Erin, with whom I am acquainted, is a 14 year CPS veteran and has been an active Union delegate for nine years.  I voted with the majority for her approval.  The vote was 96-4% approval.

D. CTU-CTS Report –Chris Baehrend. The Charter Division of the CTU is working on a coordinated contract campaign for 2022.

Chris reported that there are four alternative high schools that have need based budgeting, not student based budgeting like the rest of the system.  They receive greater funds per student then the majority of schools although a good chunk of those funds go into the pockets of administrators of the schools.  One of them, the Youth Connection Leadership School, despite receiving funds from the Board to rent building space, is threatening to shut down because they feel they need more cash.

E. Vice President Stacy Davis Gates  - The CTU has started a program for first and second year teachers and clinicians seeking mentoring.  Teachers of color are especially encouraged to sign up.  There is room for 90 teachers and the mentees (is that a word?) will be given a $500 stipend.

Stacy addressed major concerns about the effect of the REACH teacher evaluation program.  Teacher evaluations are required by State law but the pandemic and school shut down has made proper evaluations problematic.  School districts that do not comply with State law on evaluations may lose some funding.  The CTU is negotiating with the CPS and hopes they can reach a reasonable evaluation protocol for all affected teachers.

Stacy also stated that due to pressure from the CTU, the Board has agreed to invest $10 million new dollars to address the severe sub shortage.

II. President’s Report – Jesse Sharkey   Pres. Sharkey addressed the issue of cleanliness and safety in the schools.  He gave examples of Jansen school that is supposed to have three custodians but only has 1 and ½, has no COVID testing and their contact tracing is an ineffective mess.

Jesse also referenced the problem of violence in and around the schools.  He feels that one way to address this problem is to have fully and properly staffed schools.  The new contract has led to an increase in hiring for almost every type of position but more people need to be brought on.

Jesse also said that the CPS is conducting more vaccination clinics in the schools but they have done little to communicate this to the parents and communities.  He said that delegates need to use their safety committees to keep track of staffing levels, COVID cases, contact tracing and so on. 

III. Department/Committee Reports

A.  Organizing – Rebecca Martinez/Curtis Bynum – The CTU is hosting a virtual delegates workshop and training session this weekend.  All delegates, especially new ones, are encouraged to attend.

More than 100 schools have participated in the CTU “Days of Action”.  These actions have including things like before school rallies and walk-ins, flyering and talking with parent, talking to the media, and filing OSHA complaints.

Teachers who have been asked to cover classes when subs are unavailable need to submit a list of missed prep periods to the principal before the end of the First Quarter if they expect to be compensated for their extra work.

The special CTU/CPS Class Size Committee has acted and so far there are 267 new positions in the schools, of which 151 are teaching positions.

B.  Legislation/Political Action – Kurt Hilgendorf.  Kurt said the past two weeks have been rather successful for the CTU.  Some bills that passed the General Assembly and are awaiting the Governor’s signature are SB1784, which imposes an immediate moratorium on closing schools, HB 2778, a COVID pay check protection bill that insures a paycheck for workers instead of forcing them to use sick days if they are out due to the pandemic, and SB101 which is an LSC empowerment bill, even for schools that are on probation.  Strong LSCs can help put pressure on the CPS to follow the law and to abide by our contract.

Kurt also said the City budget was approved with increased funding for housing, mental health treatment and violence prevention.  It also includes a provision for a one year test of a universal basic income for a few hundred Chicagoans

IV. New Business/Q and A

Bea Lumpkin mentioned that the current meeting of world leaders at the International Climate Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, lauded Illinois for passage of the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA).  Bea pointed out that the CTU was one of the key drivers to get the State to enact this legislation.

Margot Taylor (Chappel School) asked how new funds for subs would be allocated.  Jesse told her that the CPS indicates that it plans to hire a large number of Cadre subs.

Moseleen Parker asked about COVID interfering with a co-workers ability to attain tenure.  Jesse responded by saying that any teacher who works 150 days a year for four years, whether in-person or virtual, will be granted tenure.