In 2012, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) went on strike to fight for public sector education. They empowered their members and mobilised parents, students and the wider community. The campaign was hugely successful with hundreds of thousands of vocal and active supporters taking part in nine days of mass pickets, creative sit-ins and demonstrations in 840 schools across the city. The strike was won and the organising strategies that were used became a blueprint for other strikes in both the US and the UK.
Weaving together music, song and inspirational video footage and interviews, Chicago: The Great Teachers’ Strike provides compelling lessons for both educational and broader public sector resistance here in the UK.
The company thanks the NEU for its financial support, all the Banner performers, technicians and administrators, as well as South and City College Birmingham and their staff and students for their work on this DVD.
The show toured extensively across the UK between 2016-2019.
“Fantastic, empowering, goosebumps the whole time!” Anna Quick, NUT Student Member
“Changed my opinion completely Ex-tory! Fantastic music and story, brilliant lyrics.” Steve Scott, NUT Student Member
“Many of our members enjoyed your production of Chicago: The Great Teachers’ Strike when the local branch of the NUT arranged for it to come to Ipswich last year. It was a very uplifting and inspirational story, and there was a good discussion afterwards. The impact created by all the teachers turning out in their red union t-shirts made a particular impression on me and I was chuffed when a subsequent decision by my own branch of Unite decided to supply some free union t-shirts to our members in a small factory paid off: boosting confidence and membership take-up and disconcerting management at discipline & grievance meetings!” Sarah Sanford, Ipswich and District Trades Union Council