Chicago Teachers Secure Contract Without Strike or Walkout \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union have finalized a four-year contract without a strike for the first time in over a decade. The agreement includes pay increases, class size limits, and the hiring of hundreds of new teachers and librarians. Despite the success, questions remain about how the financially strapped district will fund the deal.
Quick Looks
- First teacher contract in over a decade without a strike.
- Agreement includes 4–5% annual raises and retroactive pay.
- Class size caps and increased prep time now guaranteed.
- District to hire 800 new teachers and nearly 100 librarians.
- Median teacher pay to hit $98,000 next year, rising to $110,000 by 2028.
- Negotiations followed months of political upheaval: superintendent fired, board resigned.
- Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former teacher and CTU ally, played key role.
- Talks began with over 700 union demands, pared down to $1.5 billion package.
- Funding concerns remain amid Trump-era education cuts and district deficits.
- 97% of voting union members approved the deal.
Deep Look
For the first time in over a decade, Chicago’s teachers and school district leaders have reached a labor agreement without the shadow of a strike, signaling a rare moment of unity in a city where education negotiations are often turbulent. The new four-year contract, finalized between the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS), offers major gains for educators while highlighting deep fiscal and political challenges that remain unresolved.
The agreement includes annual raises, class size limitations, and the hiring of hundreds of new staff, including teachers and librarians. But behind the historic moment lies a year of intense political drama, including the firing of the school superintendent, the resignation of the entire Board of Education, and the city’s first-ever school board elections—all of which set the stage for this unprecedented deal.
A Deal Amid Deep Division
Unlike the contentious strikes of 2012 and 2019, this round of negotiations ended without walkouts. Many credit Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former public school teacher and CTU organizer, whose 2023 election was strongly backed by the union. His presence at City Hall helped build a rare bridge between the mayor’s office and CTU, despite a rocky relationship with outgoing CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, who was appointed by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
Johnson’s attempt to secure a $300 million loan to cover contract costs and a city pension payment became a flashpoint in the talks. The CPS board and Martinez rejected the proposal, calling it fiscally risky. As tensions escalated, the board resigned in protest in October, and by December, they voted to fire Martinez—though he will remain in office until June.
The city’s first-ever elected school board was seated in November, featuring a mix of union-backed candidates, charter school advocates, and independents. That body will eventually replace mayoral appointees entirely by 2027. At one point, Martinez accused board members of improperly meeting with CTU during negotiations, leading to a judge’s restraining order against them.
From 700 Demands to $1.5 Billion
CTU began talks with an eye-popping 700+ proposals, citing its goal to fight inequality in a district where over 80% of students are Black or Latino and 70% are low-income. While CPS officials argued that the full request list would cost more than $10 billion—equal to the district’s entire annual budget—negotiators ultimately agreed on a $1.5 billion package.
The final deal includes 4% retroactive raises, followed by 4–5% annual increases through 2028. Starting next year, median teacher pay will rise to $98,000, climbing to $110,000 by the contract’s end. The district will also hire 800 new teachers, nearly 100 librarians, and increase daily prep time for teachers from 60 to 70 minutes.
For the first time in decades, the union was allowed to negotiate class size limits, a provision long blocked by state law. A 1995 Republican-backed measure had restricted teacher bargaining to pay and benefits, but Democrats reversed that in 2021. Under the new contract, kindergarten classes will be capped at 25 students, with other grade levels adjusted accordingly.
CTU President Stacy Davis Gates celebrated the contract as a long-overdue win for students and educators, especially amid growing concerns about education cuts under President Donald Trump’s administration. “It’s big, it’s complex, and it is certainly a step in the right direction,” she said.
The union reported overwhelming member support, with 97% voting in favor of the agreement.
Political Legacy and Future Uncertainty
Mayor Johnson, once viewed as a risky choice due to his CTU roots, has now flipped the narrative. “When I was running for office, they said it would be a liability,” he told reporters. “But it sounds like no other mayor could have brought the CPS, the board, the mayor’s office, and the CTU together like we did.”
Still, serious financial questions remain. The school district is currently staring down a $500 million annual deficit and owes the city $175 million in pension reimbursements. While Martinez said the first year of the deal is fully funded, how the remaining years will be paid for is unclear. Additionally, CPS is preparing to enter contract talks with the principals’ union, adding more pressure to the budget.
Nationally, labor observers are watching. The United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) cited the Chicago agreement in a recent newsletter, framing it as proof of what organizing can accomplish. “We can win our future in Los Angeles, just like our union siblings in Chicago,” UTLA wrote.
Education experts believe that Chicago’s example could fuel momentum for teacher unions in other major cities, especially those facing underfunding and systemic inequality. But they also caution that the politics of success must be matched by the reality of sustained funding.
While both sides agreed the process took far too long, each claims a win for students.
“We had a sense of urgency, we had a sense of responsibility,” said Davis Gates. “The district shared the responsibility, but not the urgency.”
Martinez, in his final months at the helm, echoed that frustration. “We should have had this contract months ago,” he said.
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