On Monday in Chicago, a new generation of working class activists hit the picket lines in the city's first teacher strike in a quarter century. In contrast to the 1980s (when the CTU struck three times) this will be the first strike that most current teachers have ever participated in. It will be a strike with broad support from the city's working class neighborhoods and from the ranks of its labour organisations.
When the CTU strikes next week it will be a rebuttal, 26,000 strong, to the anti-union think tanks and billionaire front groups who said that there would never be another teacher strike in Chicago. The Chicago teachers strike will be a historic showdown between one of strongest public sector unions in the United States today in the city where the modern era of union-busting "education reform" was hatched.
The comrades of the Solidarity be posting live updates and reporting from the strike. Over the week, check back their site for photos, news from the picket line, interviews with union members and activists, and more.
For up to date news visit SOLIDARITY.
Also see the teachers’ own website at http://www.ctunet.com/for-members/strike-central and send them a message of support from your union and/or anti-cuts group
1 comment
terry conway · 13 September 2012
Socialist Resistance has sent this message of support to the Chicago teachers - get your trade union and/ or anti-cuts group to do likewise
Socialist Resistance stands in full solidarity with the 26,000
teachers currently on strike in Chicago.
Your fight is one of the most important struggles against austerity
and cuts to the public sector in recent years. We take enormous
inspiration from your stand against both corporate-controlled parties,
and your willingness to mobilise, organise and confront these forces
on the picket lines and in the streets.
We know that you are facing a sustained barrage of misinformation and
media lies in an attempt to swing the public against your strike. But
you can be confident that your message is clear – this is fight not
just for jobs and decent working conditions for teachers, but a
defense of public education for all. We salute your vision of an
education system based on justice, equality and the rights of young
people. We know that the rights of teachers are central to that
vision.
Here in Britain, we are subject to precisely the same rhetoric around
education ‘reform’. Our own experiences point to the same conclusions
that you have drawn – ‘reform’ means nothing more than the
dismantling of public education and the attempt to standardise and
downgrade the conditions of teaching at all levels. It represents the
interests of the corporate elite, who view education as a massive
potential source of profit and wealth.
On October 20, many of us here in Britain will be on strike against the
most savage cuts to education and broader public sector rights in
decades. David Cameron and his government have made clear that they
intend to continue and deepen these cuts. We see your strike as very
much part of our own resistance, and we will continue to support and
stand alongside of you in whatever way we can.
Victory to the Chicago Teachers!