Dive Brief:

• In the wake of 62 layoffs by Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the Chicago Teachers Union is now threatening to strike on April 1.
• At issue, aside from the job cuts, is a pension proposal that would end the current practice of picking up teacher pension costs.
• The CTU contract with CPS expires on June 30, and according to state law, the union must wait until the end of May before striking, but the union is saying that district action related to the pension issue can reformat such a timetable.

Dive Insight:

This isn't the first time Chicago teachers have threatened a spring 2016 strike. In December 2015, 88% of Chicago Teacher’s Union members voted to authorize a March strike. At that time, school staff layoffs were expected to range in the hundreds.

Still, the situation is complicated. Earlier projections estimated 479 teacher layoffs for the summer of 2016, with an overall budget reduction of 1% on top of the phasing out district pension fund contributions for teachers. Chicago Public Schools were expected to “run out of money” last summer; they have not done so. 

A proposal backed by Republicans in the state would enable state control over Chicago Public Schools, allow the district to file for bankruptcy, since its budget deficit is around $1 billion and it faces a deplorable credit rating.