Friday, April 12th marks the twentieth day of the CMU (Chicago Microwave Union) strike, the longest strike in CPS history, knocking out the 1987 strike under CTU President Jacqueline B. Vaughn. The Chicago Microwave Union has gone on strike due to less than desirable working conditions that have been revealed to pose a health threat after a multitude of tests conducted by the Whitney Young Forensics classes. Despite the outbreak of bacteria due to the heinous working conditions, electromagnetic radiation devices have been forced to continue working long hours of warming mediocre lunches. Former Whitney Young employee, Mike RoWauve, told the Bacon, “They don’t give a damn about us. They’ll run us down until our cords have been cut. It’s a shame. Those [redacted] don’t know a thing about cuisine.” RoWauve followed his statement by explaining that a better environment for the electromagnetic radiation devices will greatly benefit the students as well, the greater picture the Union is working to paint.
Multiple electromagnetic radiation devices have filed similar complaints as RoWauve to management. Despite multiple attempts to remedy the issues, janitorial staff refuse to come within three feet of the electromagnetic radiation devices. Negligent sanitation procedures have yet to stop Whitney Young students from heating their food with the electromagnetic radiation devices, they exclaim that they “need to get their gains by any means necessary”. One student said, “I think it’s the same thing as steroids pretty much. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, I microwave to failure,” said Elizabeth Martinez. Another student threatened to forcethe cafeteria food into the microwaves one way or another if the Union didn’t come forward and open their doors sometime soon. Choosing to remain anonymous, they told our reporter, “if I have to eat the rancid cafeteria lunch because of this, so do they.”
Following the closure of the Chicago Microwaves’ doors, numerous complaints from CPS parents flooded the CMU’s help line. Furious parents claimed that the electromagnetic devices were nothing more than “selfish, righteous [redacted] that only care about milking the city for higher pay” and are “using the message of helping students as a facade” to get what they want. Frustration from the union has risen with CMU executive, Rady Ashun, telling the Bacon that “if they had seen the amount of filth encrusted along their surfaces” then they wouldn’t have any doubt in the Union’s cause. The city’s response to the CMU’s strike falls short of an agreement with the union explicitly stating that we should expect a twenty-first day without electromagnetic devices available to use during lunch.
