Teachers, CPS gird for 'intense' weekend talks

Union president 'disappointed' as deadline looms; board president warns parents to prepare for strike Monday

Original post in the Chicago Tribune by Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah.

There was only bad news Friday as contract talks between Chicago Public Schools and the teachers union headed into the weekend with Monday's strike deadline looming ever closer.

After nearly eight hours of talks at the union's Merchandise Mart headquarters, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis looked grim.

"We are very disappointed," Lewis said at a news conference. "We thought it would be infinitely better than it was."

Lewis said that after school board President David Vitale entered talks Thursday, union leaders were told they would get a proposal "addressing some of our biggest issues and we did not."

Vitale, who a day earlier expressed optimism, warned parents to prepare for a strike as he left negotiations.

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