CHICAGO (CBS) — A judge has ordered Chicago school board members to stay away from Chicago Public Schools’ ongoing contract talks with the Chicago Teachers Union after CPS CEO Pedro Martinez accused the mayor’s hand-picked board members of “hijacking” the negotiations.
The judge said school board members are not allowed to participate in the negotiations unless Martinez specifically requests it.
Martinez’s attorney, William Quinlan, told a Cook County judge in court Tuesday three school board members attended the contract negotiations between CPS and CTU on Monday, and intimidated CPS negotiators.
The board members allegedly told Martinez’s negotiating team, “We have the authority. We have all the cards. We have the mayor, the board.”
“They’re telling my team to agree,” Martinez claimed, adding that his bargaining team fears being fired if they don’t do what school administrators say.
Friday, the Chicago Board of Education said voted unanimously to fire Martinez without causebut his contract allows him to stay on the job for another six months.
An attorney for the school board argued that board members employ Martinez and have the final say on approving a proposed contract with CTU, though he argued that Martinez was still the one who negotiated a contract with the union.
Despite the school board’s arguments, the judge in the case granted Martinez’s request for a temporary restraining order, keeping school board members away from contract negotiations.
The decision also prohibits school board members from issuing directives to the bargaining team. They would only be allowed to attend contract negotiations between CPS and CTU if Martinez asks them to do so.
“I think the winner today is the kids who will hopefully have a better agreement and a better school system because the law will be enforced and the CEO will be able to negotiate the agreement without interference from anyone else,” Quinlan said. after the judge’s ruling.
