CTU TIF protest on February 25 goes from City Hall to another rich TIF site... Will the CTU strike after April 1? '...If they cut our pay, it's an unfair labor practice and we could respond with an unfair labor practice strike...' (Jesse Sharkey, CTU Vice President)
A new Labor Beat video, "Return TIF Money to Chicago's Schools" is now available on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/q788J06tsls. The video shows the February 25, 2016 protest organized by the Chicago Teachers Union again reminding the public of the fact that TIF money in Chicago is going to subsidize the wealthy at the expense of the schools and public services.
Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jesse Sharkey during the February 25, 2016 CTU protest, pointing at Larry Levy's River Point Plaza behind him. Levy's project received $30 million in TIF funds, as the CTU and others are pointing out. Photo: David Vance, Labor Beat.
The Chicago Teachers Union organized a protest and march in downtown Chicago over TIF fund money, which should have gone to the public schools, going instead to property development for the Mayor's rich friends. On Feb. 25, 2016, the protest began in front of City Hall, then marched over to the river, targeting the glittering new River Point Plaza skyscraper, owned by Rahm's friend Larry Levy, who got $30 Million of TIF funds from the city to help the project along. This, while very damaging cuts to schools are planned. The schools should have received the $30 Million instead.
Pointing across the Chicago river to where the new, lavish River Front Plaza skyscraper stood glistening as the sun set, Sharkey said: "$30 million dollars of school TIF money at work on this highrise, and they say Chicago is broke and can't afford good public schools. No way!" Larry Levy, the developer, has given thousands in donations to Rahm and (Governor) Rauner.
CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey warned that "if they cut our pay 7% and make an illegal, unilateral cut we will respond. That threat will not be taken lying down. We consider that an unfair labor practice, and our union could respond in that situation with an unfair labor practice strike. But for right now we're saying that this is a solution that doesn't require that. This is a solution where we can avoid cuts and do the right thing for our schools in marching over and asking wealthy developers like Larry Levy to give back this money." Length - 9:40
CTU VP Jesse Sharkey, pointing at Larry Levy's River Point Plaza behind him. Photo: David Vance / Labor Beat
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