Striking Chicago teachers return to picket lines for 2nd day
Posted October 18, 2019 7:00 am
CHICAGO (AP) - Striking Chicago teachers have returned to the picket lines for a second day as union and city bargainers try to hammer out a contract in the nation's third-largest school district.
The strike by the Chicago Teachers Union and its 25,000 members canceled classes for more than 300,000 students. It's Chicago's first major walkout by teachers since 2012.
The strike based on a "social justice" agenda follows months of negotiations between the union and Chicago Public Schools that failed to resolve disputes over pay and benefits, class size and teacher preparation time.
Teachers say the walkout is about getting more resources and smaller class sizes for students, not about more money for them. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she's disappointed by the union's decision to strike.
Bargaining was expected to resume Friday.
Thousands of teachers, teacher's union members, and supporters gathered near the Chicago Public School headquarters and march on the streets in downtown Chicago on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. The strike in the nation's third-largest school district came after the Chicago Teachers Union confirmed Wednesday night that its 25,000 members would not return to their classrooms. (Victor Hilitski/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The Associated Press
Thousands of teachers, teacher's union members, and supporters gathered near the Chicago Public School headquarters and march on the streets in downtown Chicago on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. The strike in the nation's third-largest school district came after the Chicago Teachers Union confirmed Wednesday night that its 25,000 members would not return to their classrooms. (Victor Hilitski/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The Associated Press
Thousands of teachers, teacher's union members, and supporters gathered near the Chicago Public School headquarters and march on the streets in downtown Chicago, on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. Striking teachers marched in picket lines outside hundreds of Chicago schools on Thursday after their union and city officials failed to reach a contract deal in the nation's third-largest school district. (Victor Hilitski/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The Associated Press
Thousands of teachers, teacher's union members, and supporters gathered near the Chicago Public School headquarters and march on the streets in downtown Chicago, on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. Striking teachers marched in picket lines outside hundreds of Chicago schools on Thursday after their union and city officials failed to reach a contract deal in the nation's third-largest school district, canceling classes for more than 300,000 students for the duration of a walkout that seemed likely to head into a second day. (Victor Hilitski/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The Associated Press
Striking Chicago Teachers Union members and their supporters rally outside Chicago Public Schools headquarters before marching through the Loop, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, in Chicago. Striking teachers went on strike after their union and city officials failed to reach a contract deal in the nation's third-largest school district. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The Associated Press
Thousands of striking Chicago Teachers Union members and their supporters march through the Loop, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, in Chicago. Striking teachers went on strike after their union and city officials failed to reach a contract deal in the nation's third-largest school district. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The Associated Press
Thousands of striking Chicago Teachers Union members and their supporters march through the Loop, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, in Chicago. Striking teachers went on strike after their union and city officials failed to reach a contract deal in the nation's third-largest school district. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The Associated Press
Thousands of striking Chicago Teachers Union members and their supporters march through the Loop, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, in Chicago. Striking teachers went on strike after their union and city officials failed to reach a contract deal in the nation's third-largest school district. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The Associated Press
Thousands of striking Chicago Teachers Union members and their supporters march through the Loop, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, in Chicago.Striking teachers went on strike after their union and city officials failed to reach a contract deal in the nation's third-largest school district. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The Associated Press
Mayor Lori Lightfoot, left, speaks during a press conference at Lawndale Christian Health Center in Chicago as Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson looks on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, center right, and CPS CEO Janice Jackson visit with students at the McCormick YMCA Thursday Oct. 17, 2019, in Chicago. Chicago teachers went on strike Thursday after failing to reach a contract deal with the nation's third-largest school district in a dispute that canceled classes for hundreds of thousands of students. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The Associated Press
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot visits with Chicago Public Schools students at the McCormick YMCA Thursday Oct. 17, 2019, in Chicago. Chicago teachers went on strike Thursday after failing to reach a contract deal with the nation's third-largest school district in a dispute that canceled classes for hundreds of thousands of students. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The Associated Press
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