Chicago Teachers Union narrowly votes to approve new coronavirus measures allowing in-person learning

The Chicago Teachers Union narrowly voted Wednesday evening to approve a safety agreement between the union and the district supporting in-person classes. 

The agreement came as children returned to classes on Wednesday in the nation’s third-largest school district following five days of canceled classes as a result of a standoff with the teachers union on coronavirus protocols.

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The safety plan approved by the union includes expanded testing and metrics to shut down individual schools during outbreaks if the outbreak infects 25% of staff.

Leaders of the union gave their tentative approval two days earlier allowing children to return. They urged members to accept it, acknowledging that teachers didn’t get initial demands, including a commitment to use remote learning district-wide during a surge of COVID-19 infections.

Union President Jesse Sharkey said the agreement "wasn’t a home run" but was "as much as we could get right now."

The vote passed with 55% approval, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a Democrat, reacted to the news on Twitter. 

"We are pleased we have come to an agreement w/@CTULocal1 that guarantees predictability and stability for the rest of the school year," Lightfoot posted. "We all agree we must prioritize the health and well-being of everyone in our school communities including our kids, families and staff. "

Lightfoot had previously labeled the teacher walkout "illegal."

"To be clear, what the Chicago Teacher’s Union did was an illegal walk-out," Lightfoot said over the weekend. "They abandoned their posts and they abandoned kids and their families."

Associated Press contributed to this report