Chicago Teachers Find Emanuel’s Prominent DNC Speaking Slot ‘Ironic’

[marmar]

from In These Times:


Chicago Teachers Find Emanuel’s Prominent DNC Speaking Slot ‘Ironic’
By Mike Elk


With Chicago Public Schools teachers set to strike next Monday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel isn't sitting at the bargaining table trying to hammer out a deal. Instead, he's in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Democratic National Convention, where he'll be delivering a prime-time address this evening, despite telling the Chicago Sun-Times in late August that he would be willing to cancel the high-profile appearance in order to secure a deal with teachers.

The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is upset that Emanuel is speaking at the DNC at a time when, they say, he has engaged in bad-faith bargaining aimed at busting their union.

“The mayor’s appearance at the DNC is ironic," says CTU spokeswoman Stephanie Galdin. "Democratic mayors, like Emanuel, have led an unprecedented attack on organized labor and with a prolific focus on teacher unions. As he extols the virtues of democracy in Charlotte, his education policies have led to rampant job loss and the destabilization and destruction of neighborhood schools in Chicago. By suppressing evidence, manipulating data and controlling the discourse about our public schools, he has created a false narrative that seeks to undermine public education and vilify parents, teachers and students.”

The CTU is currently getting ready to strike after Emanuel and the city's Board of Education have refused to meet most of their demands. Though a major hurdle was overcome in July when Emanuel backed down from his demand that teachers work a longer day without a commensurate pay raise, the union still wants the raises that were promised in their last contract but which Emanuel ultimately rescinded, as well as contract language that eliminates the ability of the Chicago Public School system to fire teachers without cause. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/13776/chicago_teachers_find_rahms_prominent_dnc_speaking_slot_ironic/

[xchrom]

1. i would have said 'distasteful' - but ironic works. nt

[nanabugg]

2. Move on. Our tent is big. We need everyone in the tent. I trust Obama. nt

[marmar]

3. Everyone except dissenting teachers, right?

[iamthebandfanman]

4. ill never like Rahm.

and was disheartened the moment he was named as part of the staff.. let alone chief.

[madrchsod]

5. he`s pissed off he lost the 90% rule

chicago and illinois is`t a whole lot different than ohio or wisconsin