The leader of a local chapter of the Service Employees International Union on Monday issued a fiery internal message to members accusing Chicago Teachers Union leadership of “bullying and dishonesty,” the latest escalation of a conflict between two influential labor organizations that were once close allies.
SEIU Local 73 President Dian Palmer disputed assertions CTU President Stacy Davis Gates made in social media posts over the weekend, delivering her strongest comments yet on the monthslong dispute between the two unions over jobs at Chicago Public Schools.
“Working with CTU in 2019 was one of my proudest achievements,” Palmer said in the email to members. “I have no idea why they picked this fight seemingly out of nowhere against one of their strongest allies … But I can no longer sit back and watch leadership engage in bullying and dishonesty — especially regarding our up-and-coming leaders.”
In contract negotiations with CPS, CTU has proposed language that Palmer’s union argues would allow certain classroom assistants who are under CTU to do work now done by special education classroom assistants represented by SEIU.
Last month, SEIU 73 signed onto a statewide union resolution declaring that it was “under attack” by CTU, a remarkable turn of events for two labor groups whose strong partnership helped elect Mayor Brandon Johnson two years ago.
The conflict took another turn last week, when word began to spread about an alleged altercation between SEIU Illinois State Council Executive Director Anthony Driver and Davis Gates.
In a version of the exchange Driver later confirmed on social media, Davis Gates approached Driver earlier this month at a fundraiser hosted by Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and extended her hand. Driver reached out to shake her hand but Davis Gates pulled hers back and said, “Y’all ain’t s— and you ain’t s—,” according to the account Driver confirmed.
Over the weekend, Davis Gates disputed Driver’s description of the exchange, saying in a private Facebook group for CTU members that it “did NOT happen.” She also wrote she sat down with Palmer recently and they “agreed to NOT talk to press.”
In the post, Davis Gates said she and Palmer had agreed to visit schools together to help resolve the conflict over teachers aides and special education classroom assistants.
Palmer responded with an email to members on Monday saying she was surprised by the Davis Gates posts because they had agreed not to make “media posts.” But now, Palmer said in the email, “the ‘truce’ has been broken.”
“I never agreed to anything that would compromise our Special Education Classroom Assistants (SECAs),” Palmer wrote. “I made this clear in our conversation; I restated it in my letter to the CTU president in November 2024 and again when CTU sent us their proposals to settle the SECA issue. I will say it again – there will be no negotiations over the SECA position.”
Palmer also defended Driver, who she called “honest and hardworking.”
“While I did not personally hear the bullying statement that the CTU president directed at him, I saw the impact,” Palmer wrote. “Anthony came to me directly, looking troubled, concerned not just for himself but for me as well. He wanted to make sure I knew so that I could avoid the same humiliating treatment that others had witnessed him endure.”
She also took issue with Davis Gates challenging Driver’s credibility: “Let’s be clear. … As black women and mothers of sons, we ought to know and thus should act better.”
When asked Thursday about Driver’s description of their exchange, Davis Gates declined to comment.
Driver later that evening posted on the social platform X about his encounter with Davis Gates, saying that “it was unprovoked, unhelpful, and uncalled for.”
A CTU spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday afternoon.
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