Teachers authorize strike at Instituto charter schools

A few dozen teachers at two Instituto del Progreso Latino charter schools have voted to authorize a strike as contract negotiations over pay and staffing have dragged on more than a year.

Instituto educators represented by the Chicago Teachers Union voted unanimously, 48-0, to walk out if bargaining doesn’t yield progress soon, officials said Tuesday. A strike date has not been set.

The two schools around Little Village, Instituto Health Science Career Academy and Instituto Justice and Leadership Academy, enroll a total of 550 students.

“Since bargaining began last year, the charter operator has refused to address educators’ concerns for special ed staffing, more bilingual resources for the school’s predominantly Latine students, and sustainable pay and benefits in order to hire and retain experienced educators,” the union said in a statement Tuesday.

The CTU said the charter operator has instead proposed concessions that would limit educators’ union rights, like the ability to file grievances.

“No one wants a strike — it is always a last resort,” Leah Jonaitis, a history teacher and union leader, said in a statement. “Management has left us no choice but to prepare for action because we are determined to keep fighting for what our students, their families and our school communities need.”

Instituto officials said the two sides are making progress, including tentative agreements on “nearly two dozen proposals.” The schools are looking to find more special education teachers, but cited a national shortage.

Officials said they have offered to pay teachers a little less than Chicago Public Schools teachers at district-run schools because Instituto educators “receive more preparation time and have a lower instructional minutes requirement than CPS teachers.”