Teachers at an Edgewater charter school have voted to authorize a strike as they continue contract negotiations with their charter operator.
The educators at Passages Elementary School are demanding wage increases — some of them make less than $35,000 annually, the Chicago Teachers Union said — and protections for immigrant and refugee students.
The teachers, who voted 38-0 to strike, said at a rally Monday afternoon that they’re concerned about services for students who aren’t native English speakers — who make up almost 40% of students at Passages, according to school records.
“We want protections for immigrant students, for special education students, for English language learners, and we want to set standards on budgets,” CTU charter division President Chris Baehrend said. “Educators here get 75% of what they get in CPS, and it’s not fair. It’s driving out great educators, and the parents [and] students deserve better than that.”
Passages is operated by a company called Asian Human Services. Representatives there could not be reached for comment.
Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th) joined the group in support, saying teachers play an important role in keeping immigrant communities safe.
“About a month and a half ago ICE actually came to try to deport and detain neighbors only a block away from here,” Vasquez said. “So when we think about who actually defends those families and protects them, it is the teachers and the schools.”
Though charters such as Passages are privately operated, the potential strike at Passages adds to a looming teachers strike at CPS-run schools.
The union didn’t set a strike date, but one could come at any time if there’s no progress in negotiations.
The nation’s first-ever charter teacher strike came last year in Chicago and lasted four days, with another strike of three operators happening earlier this year.
