CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Teachers Union, after initially throwing its support behind an education reform bill, is now asking that "anti-union bargaining restrictions" be taken out.
Union spokeswoman Liz Brown says the language the
CTU wants removed would take away the right to take certain disagreements to a
mediator or the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board. It also keeps unions
from blocking additional instructional time in Chicago classrooms. The CTU's
governing body met this week and voted in favor of making changes in the
legislation.
The union's objections comes after the reforms, the
result of agreement between reform advocates, unions and education
administrators, was passed by the Illinois Senate. The bill is now before the
Illinois House.
Reform advocates defended the bill Thursday,
disputing any suggestion of bad faith.
Copyright
2011 The Associated Press.
