Will Chicago Teachers Be Next to Strike? Union Head Speaks Out as Walkout Date Approaches

In Chicago, union leaders and the nation's third-largest school district are racing to reach an agreement to avert a teachers' strike authorized to begin later this month. In late September, 25,000 educators voted overwhelmingly to authorize a work stoppage, demanding more staffing and lower class sizes. On Monday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot accused the union of not coming to the bargaining table with a proposal to counter the offers the district has made in recent weeks. This comes as about 7,000 school support staffers with the Service Employees International Union have also made preparations for a strike, as have over 2,000 Chicago Park District workers with SEIU Local 73. From Chicago, we speak to Jesse Sharkey, president of the Chicago Teachers Union.