Chicago International Charter School teachers set strike date

Teachers at four Chicago International Charter School locations on Thursday announced they'll go on strike Feb. 5 unless they reach a new deal with management, setting the stage for what would be the city's second charter teacher strike in as many months.

The roughly 140 CICS educators represented by the Chicago Teachers Union voted overwhelmingly in November to authorize a strike at CICS' ChicagoQuest, Northtown, Wrightwood and Ralph Ellison campuses, potentially impacting more than 2,200 students.

CTU members rallying Thursday morning outside CICS Wrightwood on the Southwest Side said contract talks have stalled since then, as they seek pay raises, smaller class sizes, improved special education resources, better wages for paraprofessionals and additional school counselors and social workers. Their last contract expired in August.

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