CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Teachers Union says the countdown toward a possible strike has begun after it rejected the recommendation of a neutral arbitrator that it accept a contract offer from the nation’s third-largest school system.
The union says the earliest a strike could begin is May 16, about a month before the last day of school on June 21. The union also could strike in September, when school resumes for about 400,000 students.
“The clock has started,” union President Karen Lewis said in a statement rejecting the arbitrator’s recommendation.
The union staged a one-day walkout on April 1 to protest what it says are proposals that would cut compensation for teachers.
Chicago Public Schools says it is in dire financial shape and cannot afford to sweeten its contract offer.