Chicago Teachers Union: City has stopped negotiating

CHICAGO (AP) — Talks over coronavirus safety protocols at public schools in Chicago have broken off after Mayor Lori Lightfoot and district officials walked away from the bargaining table, the Chicago Teachers Union said Friday.

The announcement came hours after Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson issued a statement saying they had made their “last, best and final offer," strongly suggesting they were through negotiating with the union.

The union said Lightfoot's offer was woefully inadequate.

“The mayor's office would pause in-person learning district-wide only if there are COVID-19 outbreaks in 50% of Chicago Public Schools at the same time,” the union said. That means that infections found in more than 200 schools “would not be cause to consider the reinstitution of remote learning in the view of the mayor or CPS leadership,” it said.

CTU spokeswoman Chris Geovanis said the union would resume negotiations “at the drop of a hat” if Lightfoot and the city offered.

Lightfoot did not comment on the possibility of more talks.

“We have yet to receive a formal response in writing today from CTU leadership,” the mayor said in a statement Friday afternoon. "The ball is in their court.”

Classes were set to resume Monday. What this latest impasse means for students was not immediately clear.

After issuing a deadline for teachers to return to the classroom earlier this week, Lightfoot backed off to allow what the district called a "cooling off” period and further negotiations. And Lightfoot’s demand that the union reach an agreement with the city by the end of Thursday did not have any immediate consequences because students were not in session on Friday.

One sticking point has been teacher vaccinations.

The union said Friday that...