Chicago Teachers Strike Temporarily Averted, Negotiations Go On

CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot backed off on her threat to lock out teachers from remote-learning if they didn't show up to work Monday as a "gesture of good faith, for now" in hopes of cutting a deal with the teachers union over the return to in-person learning.

"We have reached another important milestone today in our efforts to provide in-person learning for our students in the Chicago Public Schools system. We have secured agreement on one other open issue and made substantial progress on a framework that we hope that will address the remaining issues," Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson said in a joint statement.

"We are calling for a 48-hour cooling-off period that will hopefully lead to a final resolution on all open issues. As a result of the progress we have made, and as a gesture of good faith, for now, teachers will retain access to their Google Suite."

Chicago Teachers Union officials responded on social media saying the two sides engaged in "a positive day of bargaining today, and have made some progress."

"Thanks to the advocacy of our members and school communities, Mayor Lightfoot and CPS have agreed to continue bargaining and will not lock any educators out of their teaching platforms. ... This is not about wins or losses. This is about safety in a pandemic. And our members’ dedication, support from students and families, and support from all those who share our values and our cause, have us on a path toward safety. Onward," the union posted on Twitter.

CPS officials said students will remain in all remote learning Tuesday and Wednesday.