Teachers union sends counter-offer after Lightfoot says she's out of patience

Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday said she had run out of patience with the Chicago Teachers Union, setting up a make-or-break day in negotiations with Chicago Public Schools aimed at bringing students back to classrooms next week.

"The ball is in the CTU's court," the mayor told reporters Thursday morning. "Despite a series of productive exchanges between CPS and the CTU leadership on Monday and Tuesday that should absolutely have led to a comprehensive agreement, we are deeply disappointed to announce we still have not reached a deal. (Wednesday), there were a series of steps backwards that were simply not productive."

Later, the mayor and schools chief Janice Jackson said in a joint update at 5:30 p.m. that "we received a counter proposal from CTU leadership and are working on a response."

The union said in its own statement that it was the city's fault these negotiations have dragged on. The union said it had "begged for earnest conversations with CPS leadership for months," but the district "said repeatedly that it did not have to negotiate a safe reopening" and didn't take bargaining seriously until the union threatened to defy the district's reopening plan.

• This report was produced in partnership with the Chicago Sun-Times. For related coverage, visit chicago.suntimes.com.