The Chicago Teachers Union is increasing dues for most members, in part to raise money ahead of November\u2019s school board elections.<\/p>\n
The new 1.75% rate will raise dues by an average of $18 per paycheck, according to internal documents obtained by the Tribune. The change is expected to generate roughly $8.5 million in additional revenue for the union.<\/p>\n
The increase comes six months before the city\u2019s first race for a fully elected school board \u2014 which is expected to be hotly contested and costly<\/a>. CTU was the biggest spender in the 2024 school board election, pouring more than $4 million into the 10 seats on the ballot.<\/p>\n \u201cWe must win a majority of the first 21-person, fully elected school board in November,\u201d CTU officials wrote in documents, outlining the new dues. \u201cMillions in dark-money donations are trying to ensure record school board closings and austerity instead of a fully funded district.\u201d<\/p>\n CTU represents more than 30,000 teachers, paraprofessionals and clinicians in the nation\u2019s fourth-largest school district.<\/p>\n Dues account for 89.5% of the union\u2019s revenue, which, this fiscal year, is expected to exceed $40 million. Without raising dues, CTU is facing a $4.2 million deficit, according to the documents.<\/p>\n CTU has not had a structural increase to its dues in 40 years, union officials wrote, and the adjustment is intended to make dues more proportional to income. Under the current structure, higher-earning members pay a smaller share of their salaries than lower-paid members, the documents said.<\/p>\n This school year, annual dues for teachers are $1,476. After shifting to income-based dues, most teachers will see annual costs increase by about $193 to $800. The bottom 25% percent of earners will see their dues decrease by 0.16%, the union said.<\/p>\n In 2024, total spending in the school board races topped $13 million, according to a Chalkbeat analysis, largely pitting CTU against pro-charter and school choice groups<\/a>. The other top spenders were the Illinois Network of Charter Schools and Urban Center.<\/p>\n Large public-sector unions, including teachers unions in other major cities, routinely spend on school board and state-level races to influence education and labor policy.<\/p>\n