Labor Notes 'Troublemakers' school August 20 was all about striking...
An injury to one is an injury to all is a long-time slogan of the militant wing of American unionism.It was all about striking! Labor Notes Chicago Troublemakers School, Saturday, August 20, at University of Illinois at Chicago Student Union was all about going on strike. The speakers were union members that had gone through a successful strike and saw an improvement in their working conditions.
Union members included CTU, Communications Workers Local 1101, United Electrical Workers, Fight for 15, Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff, Teamsters Local 705, Warehouse Workers for Justice, Service Employees healthcare Illinois, Indiana, Food Chain Workers Alliance, IEA, NEA,, Arise Chicago, and Grassroots Alliance.
Chicago Teachers Union members played an important part everyone said because” their strike in 2012 was very successful.” The morning plenary, The Power of a Strike, included Ken Spatta, Communications Workers Local 1101 on 40,000 communications worker striking and beating back Verizon. Spatta described the CEO at that time, Lowell McAdam, as wanting to go wireless but didn’t care about customers or workers but “guess what you can’t have wireless without wires.” Before the strike there was a move by Verizon to take away pensions and work schedules. Spatta described how both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton were helpful in spreading the message.
Chicago teacher Andrea Parker then described the instability of teaching at that time with Turnaround schools, privatization which contributed to a desire to get rid of tenured teachers and how the CTU contract helped her school through the grievance process. Parker said, “Sometimes you have to struggle.”
Armando Robles, United Electrical Workers, spoke on occupying Republic Windows and Doors when the company wanted to shut down in Chicago and open as a non-union shop in Iowa. The workers bought the company and now run it themselves.
Participants said they have become a lot smarter for having attended this Troublemakers School. A strike is the last resort after all else has been done and no options exist. We now know that going on strike takes lots of planning -- you can’t just decide to strike tomorrow and do it successfully. In fact, some noted that it takes about five years to plan an effective strike. There are books that tell you about successful strike planning. The pre-planning and union leadership are the most important part of a successful strike. Just as important as pre-planning is planning how to end the strike. Solidarity within the union is crucial. Informing the public and receiving their support is just as important.
Comments:
By: George Cruz
Strike Reality
To be frank the 2012 strike was a total disaster for the CTU. The media likes to portray how teachers won that strike, which is a total lie. Rahm was humiliated yes but in regards to financial consideration, CPS destroyed the CTU by aquiring so many giveback made by teachers. The 4% raises, increase healthcare , dreaded evaluation , 50 school closings, expansion of charters, thousands of layoffs , furlough days which one is built in to the calendar year of November, no additional raises for the 20% longer school day, etc etc.
Rahm had the laws changed for striking, for evaluations and tried forcing schools to bi pass the contract thru extending the longer day. The CTU /Core was disorganized and frankly still new . Now they have learned from past mistakes and are laying the foundation for an effective strike. Hopefully , if a strike does occur the CTU doesn't prematurely end it before reading every aspect of the new contract.
By: Ed Hershey
Not to throw cold water, but
Most teachers, including those in my schools, felt working conditions did NOT improve after the strike. I will say people mostly consider the 2012 strike a victory, at least a partial one. But what we won was a highly public "smack" at Mayor Emanuel -- we did not improve our working conditions in any substantial or appreciable way. Yes, union officials always point to the paperwork clause in the contract, but many delegates know that that's been quite a trial to enforce.