CORE: The Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators 0000
Under CORE’s leadership, the CTU has won class size protections, more bilingual education provisions and sanctuary schools protections, the first healthy green schools provisions in our new contract LGBTQIA+ protections and other crucial provisions. CTU members will see big COLA raises in our current contract and bigger raises for paraprofessionals while keeping healthcare costs down and expanding healthcare access and benefits. We’ve secured added salary steps to address stagnant veteran pay, with a step in place for every year of service up to year 25, plus longevity bonuses for teachers with more than 25 years. We are adding special education staff, librarians, social workers, counselors, bilingual and class-size TAs, fine arts and physical education teachers, technology coordinators and more. Additionally, all elementary teachers will receive more time to prepare and collaborate.
Our current contract advancements, which passed with record turnout and approval, would not have been possible without the last 15 years of work by CORE leadership. We finally won back the bargaining rights taken from us in 1995, and we helped elect public education champions as members of Chicago’s first elected school board, with others appointed by the mayor (and former CORE member) we helped elect. And we are working with our allies in Springfield to improve school funding, fix Tier 2, and dismantle REACH. But we’ll have to fight to win if we are to make the most of those opportunities. That’s why we need CORE to keep leading!
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When We Fight, We Win!
[Photo courtesy of Oscar Sanchez/@oso_campeon on Twitter]
Lauren Bianchi and Chuck Stark are two CTU teachers at George Washington High School on Chicago’s far southeast side. They used their voices to successfully advocate against the move by a major polluter, General Iron, from an affluent Lincoln Park neighborhood to the working class largely Latinx neighborhood near Washington High School.
[Link to CTU article on this fight]
[Link to WCPT 820 AM radio show - Sunday Mornings with Brandon Johnson ft. Chuck & Lauren]
Read moreCTU Clinicians: #VoteCORE in the runoff election for CTU Clinician Functional Vice President!
Under CORE leadership, CTU has won major gains for clinicians and the students and families they serve. We elected most of our slate on May 20th, and now we need to elect our candidates for CTU Clinician Functional Vice President. Mary and Dennis are currently the co-chairs of the CTU Clinicians Steering Committee and are strong leaders in CTU's fights for justice. Read their biographies here: Mary Difino & Dennis Kosuth.
CORE won a majority of the votes cast in CTU's election. However, a majority was not won by any caucus in the election for the two Clinician Functional Vice Presidents. Because of this, there will be a runoff election for these positions on June 10th between the two caucuses who received the most votes for them: CORE and Members First. Clinicians will receive a mail ballot to vote in the runoff election. These ballots will be sent out on Thursday, May 26th.
CTU Clinicians: we need you to vote for our candidates for CTU Clinician Functional Vice President, Mary Difino and Dennis Kosuth. The votes must be received by CTU by June 10th. When you receive your ballot, fill it out and mail it immediately. Put your ballots in the mail by June 4th to ensure your vote is counted!
Read moreWe Are Honored and Humbled
We did it.
But we didn’t do it alone. It took each and every one of you, your humanity, your compassion and your commitment.
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