Picket lines up after CPS, teachers fail to prevent strike

Walkout is first in 25 years

Original article in the Chicago Tribune by Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah, Joel Hood and Kristen Mack.

Striking for the first time in 25 years, Chicago's teachers set up picket lines this morning after talks with public school officials ended over the weekend without resolution.

"Rahm says cut back, we say fight back," picketers chanted this morning outside Chicago Public Schools headquarters.

Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis announced late Sunday night that weekend talks had failed to resolve all the union's issues.  “We have failed to reach an agreement that will prevent a labor strike,” she said. “No CTU members will be inside of our schools Monday.”

After an all-day negotiating session Sunday, school board President David Vitale told reporters the district had changed its proposal 20 times over the course of talks and didn't have much more to offer.

“This is about as much as we can do,” Vitale said. “There is only so much money in the system.”

To read the complete article, visit the Chicago Tribune.