With a fourth day of classes canceled and dozens of city soccer teams forced to forfeit state playoff games, the Chicago teachers strike is stretching on to Tuesday — and potentially much longer — as union leaders say their hopes have been “dashed” for a quick resolution.
Despite optimism from both sides heading into the day, the turn for the worse started early Monday, union officials said, when Mayor Lori Lightfoot urged the union to end its strike and send teachers back to work while negotiations continue.
Jesse Sharkey, president of the 25,000-member Chicago Teachers Union, said he walked into bargaining Monday morning feeling “hopeful” about a deal in “fairly short order.”
But Sharkey said the union was irked by Lightfoot’s comments later in the afternoon that “there is no more money” left to offer.
Paul Vallas, former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, reacted to the strike and attempted to convince Dan & Amy that the CTU strike is not Lori Lightfoots fault