The Chicago Teachers Union has shirked its own rules for years, causing members to sue the union to release a required annual audit. Members concerned about the union’s finances can opt out in August.
The Chicago Teachers Union is required by its own internal rules to provide an audit of its finances every year. But it hasn’t done so since September 9, 2020.
That means it’s been 1,805 days since the union released an “annual” audit.
After unsuccessfully seeking the required audits from the union, a group of CTU members filed suit on Oct. 8, 2024. CTU tried to get the lawsuit tossed out, but the judge rejected its request. The court noted the union didn’t even dispute failing to provide the required audits.
Here’s what you need to know about the case so far, CTU’s failure to follow its own rules and how teachers can opt out in August.
A Cook County judge rejected CTU’s early arguments in the case
CTU’s failure to provide required audits led several members to send a demand letter to CTU through their attorneys at Liberty Justice Center. Instead of providing the required audits, the union engaged in intimidation tactics, singling out the members by name on a member-wide call.
The members then filed suit in the Circuit Court of Cook County, and the union filed a motion to dismiss the case.
In rejecting CTU’s motion to dismiss, the judge noted CTU “does not even directly dispute” that it is required by its constitution to provide members with an annual audit. Since then, CTU has filed an answer to the plaintiffs’ complaint in the case, which remains pending.
CTU’s bylaws require publication of an annual audit of finances – but CTU keeps members in the dark while spending little on representation
CTU’s internal rules are clear: an annual audit must be performed and published each year.
Specifically, the CTU financial secretary is required in union bylaws to “furnish an audited report of the Union which shall be printed in the Union’s publication.”
Similarly, the CTU Board of Trustees is to “procure each year, a reliable and adequate audit of the finances of the Union for the preceding fiscal year ending June 30, and to deliver a copy of said audit to other major officers and to announce to the membership of the Union that said report may be inspected in the Union office by any member.”
The last audit was released Sept. 9, 2020, and covered through June 30, 2019 Audits for subsequent fiscal years have not been released. When a CTU member raised questions, CTU president Stacy Davis Gates personally attacked the member, labeling the call for the release of the required audits a racist “dog whistle.”
What members do know: just 20 cents of every dollar CTU spent in 2024 was on representing teachers, according to a report the union filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. The rest was spent on overhead, politics and other union leadership priorities.
That means 80% of the union’s spending isn’t going toward its main purpose – representing teachers.
CTU members can opt out of union membership
With CTU going to great lengths to continue hiding its mandated financial reports, members have cause to be concerned.
Education employees at Chicago Public Schools can opt out of CTU, keeping their hard-earned money while also maintaining all the benefits in the CTU contract. But time is of the essence. CTU generally will stop deducting dues only if a teacher opts out in August.
You can obtain the paperwork and learn more at LeaveCTU.com.
