Chuy Garcia receives standing ovation from more than 200 Chicago Teachers Union leaders during surprise appearance at CTU leadership training on March 12...Meanwhile, Rahm is hiding from the people and refusing to answer questions from reporters he doesn't already own...
More than 200 Chicago Teachers Union staff and delegates gave a standing ovation to mayoral candidate Jesus "Chuy" Garcia when he showed up to thank the teachers and the CTU for support. The brief appearance took place at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Health offices on S. Halsted St. on March 11, 2015. The union delegates were at a one-day training session on the union's contract when Garcia showed up. (Disclosure: This reporter is a CTU delegate).
Jesus "Chuy" Garcia talks to the Chicago Teachers Union's delegates at the SEIU hall on March 11, 2015. Substance photo by Jean Schwab. Immediately prior to Garcia's arrival at the union event, the keynote speaker, Jane McAlevey had been going over history and class struggle with the delegates, moving towards the point that each school has to be a center of union power. McAlevey, author of the book "Raising Expectations and Raising Hell) my Decade Fighting for the Labor Movement" was warning that the struggle is never finally "won."
She noted in her presentation that after the CTU won the Chicago Teachers Strike of 2012, and became a beacon of hope for workers across the USA by redeeming the strike weapon, Rahm Emanuel had come back with an attack on them and the public schools with his closing of 50 schools, the largest number in U.S. History. She warned the union leaders that the ruling class will continue to come back against victories such as the CTU strike.She underlined the fact that democracy requires that everyone work at it all the time -- and not just now and then during elections.
Then a number of major media cameras began setting up at the union hall and the candidate arrived.
Garcia told the union leaders that he was confident that April 7 would be a beautiful day for Chicago, and noted that thanks to the CTU and the support of thousands of average Chicagoans, his campaign to unseat incumbent Mayor Rahm Emanuel was gaining momentum every day. His brief (less than five minutes) remarks were interrupted by applause several times, and he received a standing ovation both before and after he spoke.
The unexpected appearance by Chuy took places as the delegates were beginning one of their annual training sessions on how to enforce the union contract. As Garcia arrived, the delegates were being led through a discussion of the realities of union work by author Jane McAlevey, whose book "Raising Expectations (and Raising Hell) my Decade Fighting for the Labor Movement..." has become an underground classic among union leaders. McAlevey had just warned the union leaders against making the false dichotomy between "service" and "organizing" unionism when Chuy arrived and terminated the keynote Power Point. The union has the rest of the Power Point available for those who want it. McAlevey told Substance she was glad to be interrupted that way.
Vote Chuy trucks will be circulating around Chicago between now and April 7.Later, Garcia went downtown for a City Hall press conference where he was endorsed by three of his fellow Cook County Commissioners who live and vote in Chicago.
On the evening of March 12 Garcia will be at the Logan Square Auditorium for a major election event before and expected crowd of more than a thousand supporters.
Meanwhile, Garcia's opponent is avoiding crowds and avoiding most voters as he tried to continue to hold carefully controlled media events, including one on March 12 which will feature U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
