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City Colleges of Chicago avert strike with tentative contract deal

City Colleges of Chicago avert strike with tentative contract deal

Rule Changes Chicago, IL local

Four-year deal adds inflation-linked raises, AI safeguards and a task force on free developmental education; members still must ratify it

October 19th, 2026: Tentative agreement reached, strike averted

Overview

Updated Oct 30

City Colleges of Chicago faculty and professional staff were hours from a strike when negotiators reached a tentative four-year contract at 3:45 a.m. on Oct. 19. The deal includes raises meant to keep pace with inflation, unchanged health insurance contributions and caps, and a joint committee on artificial intelligence.

Members still must ratify the agreement. The City Colleges Board of Trustees would then vote on it. Union President Tony Johnston credited the negotiating teams and members prepared to strike. Illinois Federation of Teachers President Stacy Davis Gates credited the union's 96% strike vote and picketing, and said Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration was open at the table.

Why it matters

The contract protects health insurance and creates AI oversight at one of the nation's largest community college systems.

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Key Indicators

4 years
Contract duration
The tentative agreement covers four years.
96%
Strike authorization vote
Union members voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, with 91% turnout.
0 days
Strike days
The strike was averted hours before it was set to begin on October 19.

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People Involved

Tony Johnston
Tony Johnston
President, Cook County College Teachers Union Local 1600
Leading union through ratification vote
 Stacy Davis Gates
Stacy Davis Gates
President, Illinois Federation of Teachers
Backed the tentative agreement; awaiting members' ratification vote

Organizations Involved

CC
Cook County College Teachers Union Local 1600
Labor Union
Negotiating party; members to vote on ratification

Represents faculty and professional staff at City Colleges of Chicago.
City Colleges of Chicago
City Colleges of Chicago
Community College System
Negotiating party; board to approve final contract

The community college system serving Chicago, with seven colleges and multiple satellite campuses.
IF
Illinois Federation of Teachers
Labor Union
Backed the CCCTU tentative agreement on Oct. 19

Statewide teachers union that publicly supported the Cook County College Teachers Union's tentative contract with City Colleges of Chicago.

Timeline

February 2026 October 2026

5 events Latest: October 19th, 2026 · 3 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Tentative agreement reached, strike averted

    Latest Negotiation

    Negotiators reach a four-year tentative contract deal at 3:45 a.m., hours before the strike was set to begin.

  2. Illinois Federation of Teachers backs the deal

    Statement

    IFT President Stacy Davis Gates said the union's 96% strike vote and picketing won the agreement, and credited Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration with more open bargaining.

  3. Members vote to authorize strike

    Vote

    Union members vote 96% in favor of a strike, with 91% turnout, setting an October 19 deadline.

  4. Previous contract expires

    Contract

    The existing contract covering faculty and professional staff expired on July 15 without a replacement.

  5. Contract negotiations begin

    Negotiation

    The union and City Colleges begin negotiating a new contract to replace the expiring agreement.

Scenarios

1

Members ratify contract, strike permanently averted

Likely Resolves by Dec 15, 2026

Discussed by: Union leadership and City Colleges administration

Union members vote to ratify the four-year contract. The deal includes inflation-adjusted raises, protected health insurance, AI safeguards, and a task force on free developmental education. If ratified, the contract goes to the Board of Trustees for final approval.

2

Members reject contract, strike begins

Unlikely Resolves by Dec 15, 2026

Discussed by: Union members who voted 96% to authorize strike

A majority of union members vote down the tentative agreement, triggering a strike. The strike would shut down classes at City Colleges' seven campuses. The union would return to the bargaining table with a stronger mandate.

3

Board of Trustees rejects deal after ratification

Unlikely Resolves by Jan 15, 2027

Discussed by: City Colleges Board of Trustees

Union members ratify the contract, but the Board of Trustees votes it down, sending negotiators back to the table. This would likely trigger a strike as the union's strike authorization remains in effect.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

September 2012

Chicago Teachers Union strike (2012)

The Chicago Teachers Union went on strike for the first time in 25 years, shutting down 600+ schools and affecting 350,000 students. The strike lasted 7 days over pay, teacher evaluations, and school closures.

Then

The strike ended with a contract giving teachers a 17.6% raise over 3 years, but with concessions on evaluations.

Now

It established a pattern of Chicago education labor disputes and showed the political power of teacher unions.

Why this matters now

The 2012 strike showed how Chicago education unions use strike threats to win concessions. The City Colleges deal follows the same pattern, with the union winning inflation-adjusted raises and AI safeguards.

October 2019

Chicago Teachers Union strike (2019)

The Chicago Teachers Union went on strike for 11 days, the longest in decades, over class sizes, staffing levels, and pay. The strike affected 300,000+ students.

Then

The strike ended with a contract giving teachers 16% raises over 5 years, plus class size limits and more support staff.

Now

It set a precedent for unions negotiating on working conditions beyond just pay.

Why this matters now

The 2019 strike showed that Chicago education unions can win on non-pay issues. The City Colleges deal's AI safeguards and free developmental education task force follow this pattern of expanding the bargaining agenda.

Sources

(6)
Chicago Sun-Times ABC7 Chicago Cook County College Teachers Union WBBM Newsradio Illinois Federation of Teachers AcademyNet