City Colleges of Chicago faculty avert strike with tentative deal

Faculty and professional staff at City Colleges of Chicago have reached a tentative four-year contract agreement, narrowly averting a strike scheduled for Monday, October 19. The Cook County College Teachers Union (CCCTU) Local 1600 announced the deal was reached at approximately 3:45 a.m. following months of negotiations.

The agreement includes annual salary increases designed to keep pace with inflation and increased starting salaries to aid recruitment and retention. A significant component of the deal involves health insurance, as the contract maintains existing employee contribution levels and caps, rejecting proposals that would have increased worker costs.

Additionally, the contract addresses modernizing the workplace by establishing a joint committee to oversee the use of artificial intelligence across the college system. Other provisions include expanded parental leave benefits and a shift to a Monday start for the academic year.