CPS Accepts Fact Finders Fair and Reasonable Recommendations

Parties Jan. 29 Agreement is Most Reasonable Approach to an Extremely Difficult Situation

Claypool Urges CTU Leadership to Return to Bargaining Table Instead of Preparing for Strike

CHICAGO Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool today announced the
District is recommending the Chicago Board of Education to accept the fair and
reasonable contract recommendations from the neutral, third party fact finder
chosen by the CTU and CPS.
CEO Claypool also urged CTU leadership to return to the bargaining, rather than
start its announced countdown to a strike.
The Fact Finder concluded that the January 29 agreement CPS reached with CTU
leadership before it was rejected by CTUs Big Bargaining Team is the most
reasonable approach to an extremely difficult situation, and sought to protect,
and indeed, did protect, the core interests of both parties.

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by CEO Forrest Claypool

Today, an independent, experienced, third party impartial arbitrator one who was
chosen by both CPS and CTU found that the deal we reached in January was a
reasonable and fair contract in extremely difficult circumstances. CPS says yes to
the fact finders recommendation, and we believe that it should be the basis for a
final contract.
The fact finder recommended in its entirety the deal that CPS reached with the
leadership of the CTU, which was then rejected by the CTUs Big Bargaining Team
before CTUs members could vote on it.
The fact finder said that given CPS dire financial situation, the Comprehensive
Contract Proposal is the most viable choice. He wrote the Jan. 29 deal is: is the
most reasonable approach to an extremely difficult situation.
He went on to say that the Comprehensive Contract Proposal is: an extremely
carefully balanced document that sought to protect, and indeed, did protect, the
core interests of both parties. The CCP was a proposal that provided security to
employees while providing some measure of economic relief to the Board.
This report should not be the precursor to a strike it must be the precursor to a

final agreement. I was disappointed to hear the CTUs president say today that this
starts the clock for a strike.
Rather than start the clock for a strike that would cost our children precious days of
school at the end of the year, I would urge that the CTU uses the remaining time on
the clock to join us and concentrate on reaching a final deal so that Chicagos
children can continue their extraordinary academic progress.
The fact finders recommendation is based on a reasonable deal that included many
compromises from both sides. It is a deal that gives our teachers an average raise
of 13.5 percent over the life of the contract, while at the same time recognizing that
shared sacrifice requires them to make the full employee contributions to their
pensions that the District has been picking up for 30 years in addition to its own 9
percent contribution. It changes conditions in the classroom in line with teachers
requests on testing, grading and paperwork. It establishes community schools,
calling for a joint partnership and significant resources to establish additional
programming.
My hope is that the CTU leadership will reconsider their outright and premature
rejection of this recommendation by the impartial fact finder. My hope is that they
will give their members an opportunity to read the fact finders report, and come to
their own conclusions about the best path forward. My hope is that we can quickly
reach an agreement so that we can stand united in demanding our fair share of
funding from Springfield.
In coming months, I worry about CPS deteriorating finances. Already this year, we
had to cut school budgets to preserve cash to make our upcoming state-mandated
pension payment of nearly $700 million dollars to the teachers pension fund.
Already this year, weve seen the bond markets demand punishing interest rates
after the CTUs Big Bargaining Team rejected the tentative agreement and Governor
Rauner cheered for bankruptcy. Without an agreement and without fair funding from
Springfield, CPS will continue to face tough choices, like larger class sizes, fewer
teachers, outdated textbooks and crumbling buildings.
This broken, discriminatory system must be fixed, and we will continue to push to
make sure our children are treated with justice and equality. Even the CTU
acknowledges that CPS finances have surpassed the danger zone and are now
nearly at meltdown. Once again we hope that the CTU will work with us on an
agreement so we can stand united in demanding our fair share of funding from
Springfield.

Finally, to the families of our students: We will do everything possible to prevent a

strike and reach a fair deal. Your children are making tremendous progress, and our
goal is to keep them on their upward track. We know we can do this if we all work
together.

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