June 11, 2012 - PPM - The Audacity of Unions

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) concerns the continuing deaf ear that Public Unions seem to have, given the current state of affairs.

Last week, Wisconsin spoke pretty loud in their renunciation of the strong arm tactics of their state-wide Unions.

Now, with the smell of defeat still in the air, the neighboring Chicago Teachers' Union has offered an opening negotiation position. They have led with an offer seeking a 24 percent raise in the 2012-13 school year and a 5 percent increase the following year, the net effect being 30 percent.

Why shouldn't Chicago teachers get a 24% raise? Their graduation rate is 60.6%!

Chicago public school students have a 5 hour and 45 minute school day. This is the shortest among the nation's 50 largest districts, according to a 2007 report from the National Council on Teacher Quality. Maybe if the school day was longer, there would be less juvenile shootings in Chicago.


I have no doubt that there will be a teacher strike at this point. At a time when everyone else is tighten their belt, the Chicago Union has the audacity to request a 24% INCREASE.

But then again, the AUDACITY OF HOPE was born in Chicago.

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