Chicago Teachers Union authorizes strike - again

The Chicago Teachers Union said Monday that 95 percent of members who participated in a poll last week have agreed to authorize a strike this fall.

Some 90.6 percent of eligible teachers, clinicians and aides signed their names on petitions circulated last week at schools and CTU headquarters, according to the CTU. The result - 86 percent of eligible members voting - is slightly lower than last December's strike authorization vote, which the union decided to repeat to halt legal challenges by the Board of Education.

Then, some 88 percent of eligible members voted yes. The CTU did not release raw voting totals.

"This should come as no surprise to the board, the mayor or parents because educators have been angry about the school-based cuts that have hurt special education students, reduced librarians, counselors, social workers and teachers' aides, and eliminated thousands of teaching positions," the union said in a news release.

Unlike that earlier vote by secret ballot, last week's poll had teachers sign their names and votes on a list that their colleagues could see.

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