CPS support workers make tentative deal to end strike but won’t cross teachers’ picket lines

Chicago Public Schools and the union representing 7,500 striking school support staff have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract, but the workers won’t be going back to schools just yet.

The deal with SEIU Local 73 was announced Sunday night, but a strike by the Chicago Teachers Union will continue Monday, meaning 300,000 students will miss their eighth day of classes.

The support staff union’s bargaining team is still reviewing the final terms of the deal before the full membership can officially end the strike.

Speaking with reporters at Malcolm X College Sunday evening, Dian Palmer, president of SEIU Local 73, celebrated the union’s agreement with the city.

”This is a victory for working people in Chicago and shows what is possible when we unite and take action,” Palmer said. “The lowest-paid workers, who are the backbone of our schools, are going to see raises that mean their families won’t have to struggle living in an expensive city where costs keep going up.”

Despite the tentative deal, Palmer said her union’s members will be on the picket lines Monday morning in support of CTU. This is the first time in history both union’s went on strike at the same time. In 2012, some SEIU workers went to work while teachers walked the picket, causing some friction.

Schools chief Janice Jackson said at a Sunday night news conference at City Hall that she was “incredibly thrilled” to reach a deal with SEIU.

“The custodians, bus aides, special education classroom assistants and security officers who make up SEIU are absolutely essential to our schools,” Jackson said. “These are the tough jobs that ensure that our schools run effectively, and I’m so glad that we’ll be able to provide them with the strong and fair deal that results in a very generous raise and real improvements to their working conditions.”

But speaking to the elephant in the room, Jackson said there won’t be much of a difference for the city’s kids until an agreement is reached with the CTU.

“While we’re very happy to have reached a deal with SEIU, the fact still remains that tomorrow will the eighth consecutive day where our students throughout Chicago will wake up and they’re unable to head to class,” Jackson said.

Terms of the SEIU agreement were not released, but the district had offered SEIU a 16 percent pay raise over five years, the same offer made to CTU. CPS had also offered to limit security guards’ duties to their regular job responsibilities and to give bus aides six additional personal days.

Bus aides were also being offered a stipend when they’re let off a bus outside city limits, and special ed classroom assistants would be moved up through the salary schedule faster than before.

Insurance costs under a recent district proposal would remain unchanged for three years and go up a combined .75% in during the next two years.

The district had also offered to establish a path for bus aides — who work part-time and only during the school year — to become full-time employees by staying at school with kids after they’re dropped off in the morning.