According to the union, the CPS and the union will continue negotiating talks on Sunday, which said the “action of their members brings some progress” in the negotiations.
“We now agree on much more than we disagree, but our discussions continue and more time is needed to reach a solution,” the school district said in its statement.
Last week, the CPS warned that a decision not to attend school would be an “illegal” strike, CNN reported.
Educators will continue to work remotely and “if we are left out by the mayor and the CPS, the choice to strike is theirs, not ours,” the union said on Sunday.
According to CPS, Chicago K-8 students will still return to class on Feb. 1.
CPS said students at more than 130 private and parochial schools and more than 2,000 early learning centers have been safely enrolled in classes since the fall, and that the district should do the same for its students.
“We have seen grades, attendance and enrollment drop significantly for many of our students in recent months, and the impact was most felt by our Black and Latinx students,” the statement said.
The union statement emphasized that its members must remain united to ensure the safety of teachers and students.
“Remember, we don’t negotiate class size, benefits, or staff; we negotiate minimal risk of COVID-19 infection and minimal risk of death,” the statement said.
Officials in Illinois and Chicago announced last week that teachers and school staff will be among those who will be eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine in Phase 1b of the rollout, which is expected to begin Monday, CNN reports.
CTU continues to push for a later start date for in-person instruction or a “phase-in” approach to return to schools. “Vaccinations must be personnel related,” the CTU release said.