04 Dec UICUF Resolution in Support of UNO/Acero Charter School Teachers
UICUF Resolution in Support of UNO/Acero Charter School Teachers
December 4, 2018
Whereas over 500 Chicago Teachers Union members at 15 UNO/Acero charter schools are on strike—the first strike of a charter operator in U.S. history; and
Whereas, as fellow public education professionals, we know the intimate link between the work that UNO/Acero teachers do with youth and our work in higher education – in that many of their students go on to become our students, and many of our graduates serve as teachers, staff and administrators in their schools; and
Whereas the disparity needs to be addressed between CTU members at UNO/Acero who work hundreds of hours more than CTU members in district schools, for an average of $13,000 per year less, and paraprofessionals—the backbone of our school communities—earn even less. All this while management’s take of public dollars went up more than $10 million this year—while spending $1 million LESS on classroom resources; and
Whereas management has refused any wage increase for underpaid paraprofessionals, insisted on class sizes of 32—four more than the target for CPS classrooms, refused to increase desperately short-staffed special education positions, refused teachers’ efforts to bring nurses into each school, refused to provide wrap-around services for students, and even refused to include sanctuary school language in the contract for their overwhelmingly Latinx students; and
Whereas we value all CTU teachers as strong partners in our mission to serve Chicago’s communities, and we recognize the high-quality work that they do, often under the most difficult circumstances, including conditions of instability, budget cutting and lack of a contract; and
Whereas the CTU has been a long-time, constant partner with UIC faculty, providing the resources, professional development, and advocacy needed for a strong and stable school district; and
Whereas we support the demands by UNO/Acero teachers for smaller class sizes, increased compensation, and for more resources going to help teachers in the classroom instead of UNO/Acero management; and
Whereas we know that good working conditions for teachers are good learning conditions for students; and
Whereas our UICUF members live in communities throughout the Chicago area, are parents, grandparents, and family members of CTU teachers and students, and have a vested interest in their lives and successful futures; and
Therefore be it resolved that we stand in full solidarity with the UNO/Acero teachers in their struggle for a fair contract and for the schools that all Chicago communities deserve. We will do our best to support and attend solidarity meetings, rallies, and demonstrations, as well as walk their picket lines if they are forced to go out on strike; and
Be it finally resolved that we will do all we can to educate our members and our entire campus community, our neighborhoods, families and friends on the critical importance of the teachers’ fight, alongside of our own fight to defend state workers and save our state universities—An Injury to One is an Injury to All.
UIC United Faculty, Local #6456, AFT-IFT, AAUP, AFL-CIO
