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Chicago Teachers Union Faces Pivotal Leadership Vote Following Landmark Contract

Union members are deciding between CORE’s Stacy Davis Gates and REAL’s Erika Meza, with results expected Saturday morning.

Alison Eichhorn, left, candidate for Chicago Teachers Union vice president, with Erika Meza candidate for CTU president, on March 8, 2025. The duo is challenging current CTU President Stacy Davis Gates and Vice President Jackson Potter. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
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Overview

  • The election pits the CORE caucus, in leadership since 2010, against the REAL caucus, which is campaigning for a shift in priorities toward member services and financial transparency.
  • CORE’s Stacy Davis Gates highlights the recent 97% contract approval as a mandate for her leadership and the caucus’s broader social justice agenda.
  • REAL’s Erika Meza argues that the contract approval reflects a desire to end prolonged negotiations and criticizes CORE for being insular and combative.
  • REAL has emphasized direct engagement with members, visiting hundreds of schools, and is optimistic about its chances for a leadership upset.
  • The results, expected Saturday morning, will determine the union’s direction after years of CORE’s influence on both classroom issues and citywide political campaigns.