Chicago Teachers Union Strikes, Publishes Gloria Steinem Endorsement
10th September 2012
Just after the Chicago Teachers Union released a statement on its website declaring their intent to strike Monday morning, the union published a solidarity statement from feminist and honorary chair of the Democratic Socialists of America Gloria Steinem as the top item on their website.
Well, that’s good enough for me.
The Chicago schools had been offering the CTU a 2 percent raise every year for four years. In response, the union had demanded a 30 percent raise over two years followed by a 25 percent raise over two years. One week ago, the union revised its demands to a 19 percent raise in the first year of the contract.
Such oppression! No wonder they decided to sacrifice the children they’re supposedly in the business of educating. Prediction: The kids won’t notice the difference between the teacher being there and the teacher not being there — they are, after all, government schools, the primary purpose of which is to hire and pay government workers, and if they can squeeze in a little education on the side, well, that’s gravy.