Chicago Teachers to Go On Strike Oct. 11

CHICAGO, IL — Chicago teachers will go on strike Oct. 11 unless a the union and Chicago Public Schools can agree on a new contract before then.

Leaders for the Chicago Teachers Union set the strike date during a special session Wednesday. Earlier this week, the union voted to approve a strike with 95 percent of its members giving the go-ahead to walk out.

Chicago's school board and CPS already set the wheels in motion earlier Wednesday to create contingency plans to accomodate district students in the case of a strike. Those alternative plans, which involve teaming up with city agencies, could cost CPS as much as $15 million.

"This is in the mayor’s power to solve," union Vice President Jesse Sharkey said during a Wednesday press conference, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "This is the mayor’s problem."

RELATED: As Teachers Strike Looms, School Board Starts Planning What to Do With CPS Students

The union has been upset over school-based cuts that have hit special education students hard and eliminated teaching positions.

Chicago teachers hold a one-day walkout in April of 2016. (photo via Patch archive)

Like What You're Reading? Stay Patched In!

• Like our Crime page on Facebook
  
• Live Traffic and Transit Updates