School Bd. Pushes for Longer Teacher Workday

Chicago public school teachers should work a longer day and spendfour weeks in training, without a pay raise, the Board of Educationhas proposed as critical union talks begin this month.

As both sides jockey for position in what promises to be arduouslabor negotiations, the School Board wants teachers to tack on fourweeks to the typical 39-week year and half an hour to a typicalsix-hour workday.

"We're looking for a 10 percent increase in productivity. We'retrying to get more out of everyone," School Board member JohnValinote said.

"One thing that doesn't happen is teachers don't interact witheach other on day-to-day issues. We want that time built into …