Chicago teachers' strike grinds into third day

Students picket with striking Chicago school teachers outside Lane Tech College Prep High School Sept. 11, 2012, in Chicago. / Getty Images

(CBS/AP) CHICAGO - The public teachers' strike that has halted classwork and upset family routines across Chicago ground into a third day Wednesday with some movement reported by union and school board negotiators but no sign of an imminent deal.

Both sides headed back to the negotiating table at 11 a.m. local time Wednesday, CBS Chicago station WBBM-TV reports. Tuesday's talks between the two sides ended around 8 p.m. after negotiators spent all day trying to hammer out an agreement on a new teacher evaluation system. School board negotiators have written a comprehensive proposal that addresses all the issues still on the table and has requested a written response or comprehensive counterproposal from the union.

But the teachers Tuesday were lowering expectations for an agreement, buoyed by energetic rallies in which even parents inconvenienced by the strike waved placards in support. Other unions were joining in, with school custodian representatives saying their members will walk off the job this week as well.

Board President David Vitale, the lead schools negotiator, said early in the day that a deal could be reached, but union President Karen Lewis and her colleagues emerged from the talks accusing the board of having dug in its heels with its new proposal. The new evaluation system and a process for deciding which laid-off teachers can be rehired are among the biggest remaining issues.

"There's been — let's put it this way — centimeters (of progress) and we're still kilometers apart," said Lewis, who earlier stated it was "lunacy" to think the issues could be wrapped up quickly.

School officials also took steps to prepare for a long haul, despite persistent assertions by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and others that the strike was "unnecessary" and could be resolved quickly. The school district in the country's third largest city announced that, beginning Thursday, the 147 drop-off centers where students can get free breakfast and a morning of supervision will be open six hours a day rather than four.

Vitale said late Tuesday that the two sides had held extensive discussions on the teacher evaluation system. But he questioned the seriousness of the union negotiators, noting that they had encouraged the protesting teachers to enjoy themselves at a rally during the day.

As the teachers walk the picket lines, they have been joined by parents who are scrambling to find a place for children to pass the time or for baby sitters. Mothers and fathers — some with their kids in tow — are marching with the teachers. Other parents are honking their encouragement from cars or planting yard signs that announce their support in English and Spanish.

Unions are still hallowed organizations in much of Chicago, and the teachers union holds a special place of honor in many households where children often grow up to join the same police, firefighter or trade unions as their parents and grandparents.

"I'm going to stay strong, behind the teachers," said the Rev. Michael Grant, who joined educators on the picket line Tuesday. "My son says he's proud; 'You are supporting my teacher.'"

But one question looming over the contract talks is whether parents will continue to stand behind teachers if students are left idle for days or weeks. That ticking clock could instill a sense of urgency in the ongoing negotiations.

Mary Bryan, the grandmother of two students at Shoop Academy on the city's far South Side, supports the teachers because she see "the frustration, the overwork they have." A protracted labor battle, she acknowledged, would "test the support" of many families.

Parents "should stick with them, but they might demand teachers go back to work," Bryan added.

To win friends, the union has engaged in something of a publicity campaign, telling parents repeatedly about problems with schools and the barriers that have made it more difficult to serve their kids. They cite classrooms that are stifling hot without air conditioning, important books that are unavailable and insufficient supplies of the basics, such as toilet paper.

"They've been keeping me informed about that for months and months," Grant said.

It was a shrewd tactic, said Robert Bruno, professor of labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

"This union figured out they couldn't assume the public would be on their side, so they went out and actively engaged in getting parent support," Bruno said. "They worked like the devil to get it."

But, said some reform advocates, public opinion could swing against the union relatively soon if the dispute seems to carry on with no resolution in sight.

Juan Jose Gonzalez is the Chicago director for the education advocacy group Stand for Children, which has hundreds of parent volunteers and was instrumental in pushing legislative reforms in Illinois. He says parents "are all over the map" in terms of their support for teachers or the school district.

"Within a day or two, all parents are going to turn their ire toward the strike," Gonzalez said. "As parents see what the district offers and see the teachers not counterpropose, they will become increasingly frustrated with the grandstanding."

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[mjvwsr]

Day 4 cBS...you going to update the story or hope we forget

[Lerianis4]

They are going to have to drop that insane thing about teachers being totally responsible for the success/failure of the children in their class.

In the real world, teachers can only do so much to teach children who come to class hungry, don't have the proper materials to learn, and who in some cases don't see a value in an education.

That latter thing I can understand, considering that most non-technical jobs today are learn on the job type things where a fifth grade education is enough to do them and do them well.

[scottyusa123]

Today Mayor Emanuel told the teachers that the kids should be in school and he wants them back in school while negotiations continue. Isn't that like ending the strike? This guy is a bigger idiot in Chicago than he was in Washington.

[Martha12345]

The teachers know the public hasn't been bleed quite white yet, so now is the time to strike. After the economy really really tanks, they won't be able to get another dime.

[lillyhorton]

Maybe we should get rid of government run public schools and let parents figure it out.

[20yrsTchg]

Not ALLLL of us are experiencing the recession. Not all of us are victims of the economy. Some of us were educated to "save for a rainy day." Some of us were brought up in neighborhoods where our neighbors watched us from the porch to make sure we played well with others. Some of us love and respect our teachers so much that we decided to follow their career path...which has very little to do with salary and more to do with the desire to support our children in their goals and aspirations.

[Edgewater57]

If the teachers were doing a great job educating students, and improving their test scores, this issue would not be on the table. The union cannot dictate policy on how the CPS should be run. The union has exceeded its boundaries. It was ludicrous to reduce the school day to 6.5 hours in the first place. The reduction in the school day was only for the benefit of the teachers. Now that our children have suffered, and are academically years behind, the union wants a pay increase? Insanity. Karen Lewis is a disgrace. The teachers should select some one else to lead them. Karen is enjoying the limelight at the expense of our children.

[ineducation]

Fire them all, they aren't worried about the students, they are worried about keeping their job...it's simple.

[Colt4542]

Yes, fire them all. Then in Nov, fire all 545 "public servants?" in Washington, DC. What this country needs is a fresh start. Vote against any incumbent in public office.

[lillyhorton]

I agree with you. They can make more money teaching out of their homes and they would have fewer babes to deal with.

[SDStateInstructor]

I don't understand why this article is trying SO Hard to turn public opinion against the teachers. The teachers first duty is to the students. I have never known teachers to strike unless the administration was so badly screwed up that they were blatently hurting the students' futures to such an extent that the teachers couldn't fix it without a strike. A Strike is a two party problem. The administration needs to shoulder at least equal blame for this situation. And based on what I know about teachers, the administration is probably at least 90% to blame for the strike.

[20yrsTchg]

I understand why. Because the public always wants to blame the teachers when their children don't turn out perfect. Some are even blaming the President. If it wasn't for the Union and CTA, we'd be even more stressed than usual. I wish the rest of you could spend just 2 weeks teaching a class so you could really experience the amount of preparation and expectation we have before school even starts. Your lack of appreciation for educators is beyond ignorant!

[aubfmet]

For $47,000 you don't think that there are qualified teachers ready to go?

[realtimecoffee]

Not if the union has anything to say about it.

[taxed01]

$76,000 salary for 10 months work and a 40% dropout rate from high school. Yup - they need a raise.

[SDStateInstructor]

Where in this world does an average public school teacher make 76K?
I have been a teacher all of my career and the only way to get those kind of numbers is to be in top end administration.
Check your facts next time.

[HM8432]

SDState: You're partially right, most (better) teachers don't make $76,000 a year....however, the union teachers in Chicago DO make that much, making their reasoning for going on strike even more ridiculous, especially when teachers elsewhere WISH they could make that much as they did! $$$ before the kids.

[0bama2O12]

President Obama will intercede and bring this to a successful conclusion. All concerned parties will be satisfied with the outcome.

[Martha12345]

And we'll happily live again in the land of milk and honey.