From Association to Union: What It Means and What It Doesn’t From Association to Union: At-A-Glance
WHAT IT MEANS
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We speak with one unified voice.
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We bargain collectively and strategically.
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We push for systemic, collective solutions.
WHAT IT DOESN’T MEAN
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We have legal power and enforceable rights.
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That a few individuals can claim to represent us.
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We’re creating a new foundation.
• That negotiations will become combative or public.
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We’re building solidarity and shared language.
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That individual concerns won’t matter.
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We center real issues like respect, autonomy, and safety.
• That we’ll settle for symbolic gestures or promises.
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That we’re just tweaking what existed before.
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That everyone will feel aligned right away.
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That we’ll let CPS reduce everything to budget constraints.
The Chicago Principals and Administrators Association is now a union. That shift is more than a technicality, it’s a declaration of collective power. But as we move forward, it’s important to be clear about what this change means… and what it doesn’t.
40 • CPAA QUARTERLY MAG | Q3 AND Q4 2025
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