If the Chicago teachers strike, now in its second day, seems contentious, perhaps it's worth looking back to the summer of 1931.
That's when the school board stopped paying teachers in cash, defaulted on 24 payrolls and offered to pay teachers in scrip instead.
As Dominic A. Pacyga recounts in his 2009 book, Chicago: A Biography, businesses by September were giving Chicago's 14,000 teachers only pennies on the dollar for their nearly worthless paper. Teachers passed out in classrooms due to a lack of food.
"Finally, the circuit court stopped the payment system after a lawsuit by the Chicago Teachers' Federation," Pacyga wrote. "Payless paydays followed."
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all public unions must leave government!
its the new mob
change out defined benifit plans for 401k's, why should taxpayers promise them $5,000 - $10,000/mo for the rest of their lives on retirement when their pension fund can't support it during times the market goes down and funds arn't available, thats why states and municipalities are going broke!!!!!!!
Kristi, 401k's are attached to the market too. Not sure if you know that. They are one of the worst investments around. If you have a 401k plan, you would know this. Just look at this prolonged recession. Please learn about investing before making a comment like this.