CPS, Chicago Teachers Union contract talks continue, with salary, prep time sticking points

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Public School students have returned to class following winter break. While they were off, the school board fired CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, and contentious contract negotiations between the Chicago Teachers Union and the district continued throughout the holidays.

"We intend to settle this, and our hope is we can settle it at the negotiating table," CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said.

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Negotiations continued all day Monday, as Davis Gates once again blamed Martinez for blocking progress. The CEO remains on the job for another six months. Last Friday, Martinez and his negotiating team denied slowing down negotiations. Martinez said it's just the opposite.

"We plead: Let's get tentative agreements to the things we have already agreed upon. We went from 700 proposals to 100-plus," Martinez said.

SEE ALSO: CPS, Chicago Teachers Union agreement still far off amid ongoing negotiations

One of the biggest sticking points is money. CPS said it has offered teachers a 16% raise over four years, making them the highest paid in the country, with the exception of some New York City teachers. CTU countered with 24% raise over four years. CPS said it can't afford to go higher than its offer.

"Another reason they haven't come to an agreement on the annual raises because the union has asked for those raises to also come with a guarantee of no furloughs or layoffs," Chalkbeat Chicago Bureau Chief Becky Vevea said.

Vevea said the other big sticking point is prep time. Teachers want an additional 30 minutes to prepare for class. It was taken away years ago under an agreement for a longer school day. Principals have concerns.

"How do we give back that prep time without eliminating time in the school day for students to be in the classroom?" Vevea said.

Additional hurdles include CTU's demand to change a teachers evaluation system so it doesn't penalize teachers in high poverty schools, and the union wants more control over curriculum and certain decisions principals and local school councils make.

When a deal is reached, it will fall in the hands of a new school board: 21 members will be sworn in on Jan. 15. Eleven were appointed by the mayor, and 10 were elected.