City Colleges of Chicago staff returns to work

Clerical and technical staff at the City Colleges of Chicago and their supporters rally outside of Harold Washington College after going on strike on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. | Max Herman/For the Sun-Times

Non-teaching staff at City Colleges of Chicago returned to work Thursday after their union and the administration agreed on a tentative contract.

About 450 workers walked off of the job Wednesday.

City Colleges and and the Federation of College Clerical and Technical Personnel said a tentative contract was hammered out during 10 hours of bargaining Wednesday.

The two sides issued a joint statement:

The City Colleges of Chicago staff and administration are proud to announce that we have come to a tentative agreement. We are dedicated to our work and our students and eager to get back to work. More details will be available in the coming days.

The agreement must yet be approved by the union membership.

The mayor’s office applauded the end of the strike.

“I want to commend the City Colleges of Chicago administration and the Federation of College Clerical and Technical Personnel Local 1708 for staying at the table and negotiating in good faith to quickly reach a tentative agreement to end the strike. Today, the entire City Colleges team will get back to work preparing Chicago students to excel in the classroom and succeed in their careers,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement.

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