With a strike date set for this upcoming Monday, September 10, thousands of Chicago Teachers Union members held a Labor Day solidarity rally in downtown Chicago yesterday. CTU President Karen Lewis said at the rally that she was optimistic CTU and the Chicago Public Schools could agree on a contract prior to the 10th. Contract talks are scheduled for throughout this week.

CTU gave CPS their ten-day strike notice last week. Meanwhile, class starts today for the majority of CPS schools with teachers working under the terms of their last contract and a temporary agreement made in July on the longer school day. CPS has set up a strike contingency plan where it will open 145 schools for a half-day of non-teaching services that include providing students breakfast and lunch.