Karen Lewis Public Address: ‘It’s About The Money’ – City Club Chicago
On behalf of the members and staff of the Chicago Teachers Union, I want to thank you for inviting me to the City Club again. I am always honored and pleased to stand before you. One of my fondest memories of growing up in Chicago was when […]
CTU’s Karen Lewis Promises 2015 City Election Will be ‘Contentious’
By Ted Cox | Originally Published at DNAinfo Chicago. May 5, 2014
RIVER NORTH — Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis threatened Monday to throw another round of labor unrest into the midst of next year’s municipal elections, specifically targeting Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
“Maybe it’s time we send him into early retirement,” Lewis said in a luncheon speech to the City Club of Chicago after pointing out the Emanuel administration had overseen the loss of 3,000 educator positions over the last three years.
“I’m not looking to make anybody’s election year easy at all, especially someone who doesn’t want to make our lives easy,” she added in a news conference after the speech. “I think all elections need to be contentious.”
Lewis said the current teachers union deal with Chicago Public Schools expires in June 2015, and there’s little chance the union will exercise its option to extend it.
“I don’t think we would be interested in that,” she added, but would not predict whether it would lead to a strike.
CPS Chief Executive Officer Barbara Byrd-Bennett responded, “My team and I are focused on finishing this school year strong for our students, parents, teachers and administrators, and we are not yet focused on contract negotiations for next year.” CPS has until next April to offer to extend the deal.
That issue, and a possible teacher strike, would certainly have an impact on the city primary and general election next spring.
Lewis spoke highly of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle as a possible candidate, but otherwiseempathyeducates – CTU’s Karen Lewis Promises 2015 City Election Will be ‘Contentious’:
