Arbitrator report recommends huge pay hike for Chicago teachers

From The Chicago Tribune: An arbitrator has recommended that Chicago public school teachers get raises starting at nearly 15 percent, and that gives union officials additional leverage to press harder on nonmonetary issues, experts in education and labor say. Altogether, raises for four years would total 35.74 percent, according to the recommendation. The arbitrator is recommending the sizable pay hikes largely because of the longer school day that will begin later this summer. The board meets Wednesday and is expected to reject the arbitrator's report; sources says the union also could turn down the report because the raises could lead to job losses.