Chicago Teachers Union, 2 Instituto del Progreso Latino charter schools reach tentative agreement
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Teachers Union members at two Instituto del Progreso Latino charter schools have reached a tentative agreement with management after a dayslong strike, the CTU and Instituto said on Sunday.
About 60 teachers at the two schools around the Little Village neighborhood hit the picket lines on Tuesday, impacting hundreds of students.
Low staffing at Instituto Health and Science Career Academy and Instituto Justice Leadership Academy were among the biggest issues when the strike began.
The two charter schools serve about 550 students who were not in class for days due to the work stoppage.
The CTU said its members reached an agreement with the schools' management late Saturday night.
The union released a statement, saying, "Chicago Teachers Union members at Instituto del Progreso Latino reached a tentative agreement with management that forces the charter school operator to put students first. The tentative agreement won by educators will significantly increase resources and staffing for special education, help recruit and retain bilingual staff, and allow students to access additional supports including a librarian, school nurse, counselors and social workers. Union members have suspended their strike as they review the terms and prepare to vote on ratification. We look forward to sharing more details."
Instituto also released a statement, saying "We are proudly announcing the end of the CTU Strike. A sincere thank you for the steadfast support by our parents and community. Throughout the duration of the strike, our parents demonstrated an unwavering commitment to education by sending their students to school - our schools averaged a combined 120 students each day. Our community values uninterrupted education! While we are relieved to see an end to the CTU Strike, it is important to acknowledge once more that this strike could have been avoided if CTU had not placed their political agenda ahead of students. With this behind, we are excited to welcome back our educators. We remain committed to fostering a collaborative and supportive environment for both our staff and students, ensuring that their educational experience remains our top priority."
