Updated:

The Chicago pension struggle and beyond

By
1415
0

More News

pt.2015.07.08.pension2
Teachers protest for a fair contract and a just Chicago.
Photo/Sarah Jane Rhee

CHICAGO, IL — Illinois, and particularly Chicago, are notorious for their brazen addiction to wealth, corruption and waste. Meanwhile, there are now over 20,000 homeless students in Chicago Public Schools.  Chicago Coalition for the Homeless estimates that around 12,000 young people living on their own are on Chicago’s streets.  Alongside this, Forbes lists 18 billionaires from Chicago, headed by the Crown family, with $4.1 billion.
The Chicago Public School board, run by billionaire bankers, is militarizing and demolishing public education and privatizing everything in sight.  In the new hi-tech economy, the billionaire class needs fewer workers, and they won’t educate people they don’t need.  Breaking the teachers’ union and funneling pension money into their own pockets illustrates the end of their need for a stable workforce. The pension struggle is a key front in the struggle for the kind of society that can provide for all.

+ Articles by this author

The People’s Tribune opens its pages to voices of the movement for change. Our articles are written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Articles entitled “From the Editors” reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: peoplestribune.org. Please donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement for change. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff. The People’s Tribune is a 501C4 organization.

Featured

the Editors, People’s Tribune -

Michigan Senate Race Could Signal Game Changer in Electoral Politics

The world is watching Abdul El-Sayed, candidate for U.S. Senate race in Michigan.
Sarah Hackney -

Let Love Be The Uprising

"There is a particular kind of courage in remaining tender when the world rewards brutality," writes poet Sarah Hackney.
Max Smoot -

A Vision For a City We Can Live In

A mayoral candidate's platform in Oregon symbolizes many campaigns for change nationally, highlighting concrete platforms for change that include local control by the public, housing/homelessness first, food, jobs, health, and more. 
Bob Lee, People's Tribune -

US Terrorizes Migrants and Countries, Witnesses Tell Mexico City Tribunal

A series of International Tribunal of Conscience hearings held over the last eight months in the US and Latin America have gathered testimony on US crimes against migrants and countries. The hearing this month in Mexico City featured around 40 witnesses from more than 16 countries.
Matt Alley - Blue CollarWriter Labor Media -

The Kids Are Alright. Maybe the Rest of Us Need To Remember What Standing up Actually Looks Like

Youth in France and other countries are asking why they should accept a system that keeps telling them there isn't enough to go around while those at the top keep getting richer?

More from the People's Tribune