Chicago mayor says schools, teachers union have reached tentative COVID-19 safety plan agreement

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said on Sunday that Chicago Public Schools and the teachers union have reached a tentative agreement on a COVID-19 safety plan, a major milestone that will put an end to a bitter labor dispute and avert a possible work stoppage.

Chicago Public Schools, the third largest school district in the United States, and the Chicago Teachers Union, which represents 28,000 educators, have been locked in talks for months over a gradual reopening of schools, with teachers demanding stronger safety protocols to prevent the spread of the virus in classrooms.