Lunch Ladies Lead Civil Disobedience at the Chicago Board of Education
Lunch Ladies Lead Civil Disobedience at the Chicago Board of Education
Joined by allies, CPS lunchroom workers took arrest to demand equality as contract fight approaches one year mark
Recently, hundreds of CPS lunchroom workers, labor leaders, and community supporters rallied in Daley Plaza before marching the Chicago Board of Education at 42 W. Madison, where 25 lunchroom workers and allies participated in a civil disobedience. Lunch ladies linked arms with fellow union members before sitting down in the middle of Madison Street directly in front of the Board of Education during rush hour to demand equality and a fair contract. One by one, workers took arrest as supporters chanted on the sidewalk.
Despite 11 months of negotiations, the Board of Education has failed to settle a fair contract that ends the unequal treatment of roughly 1,700 CPS lunchroom workers. CPS lunchroom attendants are the lowest paid workers inside Chicago Public Schools, making $22,000 less per year than custodial workers. The starting wage for a lunchroom attendant is just $16.78, which is about $4 less than a custodian worker’s starting wage.
According to a report released last September, 22% of surveyed CPS lunchroom workers reported that their families have visited food banks and 49% of surveyed workers reported having trouble paying for basic necessities.
“We show up for the students every day. We need the Board to show up for us now. We’re being asked to wait while we continue to struggle to feed ourselves and our families. We can’t wait any longer. We need a fair contract now,” said Kimberly Penson, a civil disobedience participant and cook at Nathanael Greene Elementary School with 21 years of service with CPS.
“After 24 years of service, I never imagined having to rely on going to a food bank just to get by. But today, that is my reality. The cost of living is going up, and I must choose between bills and food. Today we say enough is enough,” said Irma Garcia, a cook at James Russell Lowell Elementary School who participated in the civil disobedience.
“The Chicago labor movement stands with CPS lunchroom workers as they demand the fair pay and respect they deserve. These workers are essential to our schools and our city. The time is now for these workers to get a fair contract that recognizes their value and dignity,” said Don Villar, Secretary-Treasurer of the Chicago Federation of Labor.
“CPS lunchroom workers put their hearts and souls into caring for and feeding the children of Chicago. But every day the Board of Education fails to settle a fair contract is another day these workers struggle to feed their own families. It is time for this Board to stop the unequal treatment of CPS lunchroom workers and sign a fair contract now,” said Karen Kent, President of UNITE HERE Local 1 and civil disobedience participant.
The civil disobedience follows months of actions by CPS lunchroom workers to sound the alarm about the inequality they face, including informational picket lines, rallies, petition gathering, speaking out at Board of Education meetings and meeting with Chicago Alderpersons. The contract between UNITE HERE Local 1 and the Board of Education expired in June 2025.
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