The Chicago Teachers Union reelected President Stacy Davis Gates and her team for another term Friday, extending the Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators’ 15 years of leading the organization.
Securing 64% of the vote, the reelection comes on the heels of the union’s recently settled contract. In a news release, Davis Gates’ group credited its win to the union’s “most transformative contract” to date, a deal that was overwhelmingly ratified by members without a strike vote. The union has touted key wins from the contract, such as raises for paraprofessionals and school-related personnel and smaller class sizes.
To start their second term in office, union leadership said they will work to implement the contract and fight what they called growing attacks on labor and democracy.
“We will continue to build the strongest force field around our students, our members, our school communities, our city and our union,” CTU leadership said in the news release. “The greatest protection against attacks — whether it is from an out-of-line administrator or an out-of-line president — is each other.”
Erika Meza, a 25-year veteran teacher from the Respect. Educate. Advocate. Lead, or REAL, caucus, ran against Davis Gates for president of CTU. Meza and her counterpart, Alison Eichhorn, who ran for vice president, argued that the union’s current leadership doesn’t allow for dissenting voices, lacks financial transparency and has alienated union allies.
