Another Chicago charter school goes union with AFT

[Radical Activist]

I read a claim that Chicago charter school were represented by a small union with no power. It's good to know that isn't true and that they're affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, which is very strong in Illinois.

http://www.aft.org/newspubs/news/2010/062410chicagomsa.cfm

Teachers at Chicago Math and Science Academy Form Union

Teachers at the highly regarded Chicago Math and Science Academy notified school leaders on June 23 that they have organized into a union and filed for recognition with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board to help make an already great school even better.

"Ensuring continued student and teacher success involves creating an environment in which teachers feel secure enough to raise concerns and offer ideas," says Brian Chelmecki, chair of the school's math department. "Chicago Math and Science Academy teachers need a strong voice in developing and implementing policies that are good for kids and fair to teachers."

"The 103,000 members of the Illinois Federation of Teachers welcome CMSA teachers to our union," says IFT president and AFT vice president Ed Geppert Jr. "We pledge to work with them to enhance their careers as professionals and to promote the best interests of their schools and students."

[Brickbat]

1. The very first charter schools, called "Saturn schools," were organized in Minnesota by the teachers

union.

[Radical Activist]

2. Very cool.

[Brickbat]

3. Cool in that they didn't take money away from public schools. They were more like magnet schools

run by teachers. When privatizing got into it, then they became a fucking nightmare, and I do not support them at all.

[EFerrari]

4. NEA has more members in ILL and nationally is twice as big. n/t

[Radical Activist]

7. I don't understand the reason for your comment.

Are you suggesting that IFT is weak or unable to represent teachers in Chicago?

[Luminous Animal]

5. Firing of Pregnant Chicago Teacher Becomes Battle Over Charter School Unionization

Illinois state law states that public school teachers can join a union through a card check election, hence labor leaders say this should be the case at charter schools like CMSA that receive public funding. CMSA’s own website describes it as a public school.

But charter schools are typically run by private corporations or nonprofit organizations that often seek to block unionization. CMSA’s attorneys have argued their teachers are private employees, and the school filed a legal challenge to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board’s ability to regulate charter schools, according to Chicago ACTS. The school’s website said it filed a petition on June 29 with the National Labor Relations Board seeking to clarify whether the union can represent CMSA teachers. A hearing is scheduled Aug. 12.

http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/6301/firing_of_pregnant_chicago_teacher_becomes_battle_over_charter_school_/

On June 23rd CMSA teachers filed for union recognition with school management with over two-thirds, 67%, supporting the organization of a union. Instead of working with teachers, school management fired a top teacher (who helped organize the union), and hired a very expensive law firm to fight the teachers' organizing efforts. CMSA teachers are currently working to protect their right to unionize.

http://www.chicagoacts.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=141

[Luminous Animal]

6. So, this "public" charter is claiming private status to fight the union.

Unfortunately, I cannot find any info as to whether or not the hearings were held and the union succeeded.