This Monday teachers of Chicago participated in a sudden strike, which left 350,000 children with no classes. Conditions of work of teachers, which are quite tensed nowadays, became the main reason of the strike.
This strike is the first one for the last 25 years. It revealed the rift which exists between various unions and it led to closed-door negotiations which continued for the whole day. Moreover, both sides required a night to digest the proposals of each other.
It is suggested that the strike of Chicago is only a glimpse at a huge mounting struggle of national size, which is based on conditions of work of teachers, benefits which they receive, their payment and standing.
The head of the striking teachers said that nowadays teachers feel disrespected and Mayor Emanuel was blamed in this, as, to the opinion of Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, he is guilty in an aggressive push which was aimed to make the school day longer; according to Weingarten, the Mayor also promised to raise payments and later rescinded, having created a solid grounds for mistrust and frustration.
This conflict is believed to be the most severe crisis which has ever been faced by Mr. Emanuel since he occupies the position of a Mayor, that is from 2011. In his interview, he mentioned that children are not guilty that teachers feel like this and asked the teachers not to take it out on the pupils of Chicago if they blame him.
There was no specific reaction of Mr. Obama to address the issue. However, the White House commented that they hope that both sides are able to solve the problem quickly in order to meet interests of the students of Chicago.
Works Cited
Davey, Monica. Teachers’ Strike in Chicago Tests Mayor and Union. The New York Times. 10 Sept., 2012. Web. 11 Sept., 2012, < HYPERLINK "http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/11/education/teacher-strike-begins-in-ch icago-amid-signs-that-deal-isnt-close.html?_r=1&hp" http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/11/education/teacher-strike-begins-in-chi cago-amid-signs-that-deal-isnt-close.html?_r=1&hp >
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