As contract talks stall, CPS lunch workers unveil pledge for school board candidates

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The union representing lunchroom workers in Chicago Public Schools unveiled a pledge Tuesday asking Board of Education candidates to commit to better pay and staffing as contract negotiations continue to stall.

UNITE Here Local 1’s pledge asks Board of Education hopefuls to stop eliminating vacant lunchroom positions and bring lunchroom workers’ hourly wages in line with custodians. The union represents 1,800 attendants, cooks, and porters, who remain among the district’s lowest-paid employees.

“I don’t mind working hard, and I absolutely love seeing the kids every day. But our wages are so low that I don’t make enough to save for my retirement,” said Letia Downing-Lowe, a lunchroom attendant at Eli Whitney Elementary in Little Village.

The move comes as bargaining has stretched past 14 months — and after UNITE Here signaled it may escalate with a possible strike.

In July, the union requested fact-finding, a process in which a neutral third-party investigates sticking points and issues a report with non-binding recommendations. A CPS spokesperson said fact-finding is scheduled for mid-October. Under state law, employees may only strike 30 days after the report is released to the public.

“Every time that we meet with our members, the number one thing that they want to talk about is, ‘When can we go on strike?’” said Patrick Griffin, UNITE Here Local 1 organizing director. “We would prefer to get to a contract without going on strike, but … that’s coming from the members.”

UNITE Here has consistently advocated for better staffing and pay in the district’s cafeterias. A Tribune analysis of the district’s 2026-27 budget shows a 3.5% cut in lunchroom funds. The number of lunchroom attendants — who assist with meal prep and cleaning — has dropped nearly 40% over the past decade, according to employee rosters.

While school board members don’t participate in bargaining, they vote on the district’s budget and can signal their priorities to CPS leadership. More than 40 candidates are running for 21 seats on Chicago’s first fully-elected school board. Previously, the board was composed of seven mayoral appointees.

The pledge asks candidates “to tell us publicly where you stand,” said Downing-Lowe. “These are simple questions, and Chicago voters deserve clear answers.”

The district’s long-running financial woes, meanwhile, have also put pressure on negotiations. This year, officials closed a $732 million deficit through department cuts and hundreds of layoffs — some of which were reversed through a budget amendment including uncertain state funding. It’s still unclear whether that money will materialize, which could lead to cuts later in the school year.

CPS has previously said that, unlike custodians, most lunchroom workers do not work year-round, and more than half work less than eight hours per day. A spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday that CPS is “encouraged by the progress seen at the bargaining table.”

“Both parties are dedicated to addressing wages while ensuring fiscal responsibility, and CPS will continue to work towards a fair and sustainable agreement,” the statement said.

But Griffin, the organizing director, offered an alternative assessment: “We’re pretty far apart.”