Chicago teacher strike and Democratic subservience to the Unions

Chicago teachers are currently on strike. They are taking this action even though on average, Chicago teachers make around $76,000 a year + benefits (health care plans etc), giving them the most generous teacher compensation package of any major American city. The real issue  is that the Chicago teachers union understand that they have the power to extort more money out of Chicago's Democratic city leadership. Chicago's mayor, Rahm Emanuel, wants to make mild reforms to Chicago's rotting education system - seeking improved teacher quality control and trying to ensure that bad teachers cannot maintain the right to a lifetime job. Except, the teacher's union isn't willing to play ball. Instead, they believe that their members are entitled to unaffordable benefits, lack of standards and the absence of any responsibility to teach well. Put simply, the teacher's union doesn't give a s$$t about children. All they care about is maintaining their never ending ride on the greed train. As if these facts didn't make the situation bad enough, Chicago also faces a severe budgetary crisis. Without any changes, this year's education budget will be around $1 billion in the red. Because he is an Illinois Democrat and thus incapable of facing down the unions, as a 'compromise', Emanuel offered the teachers union an effective 16% rise over 4 years. Yes, you read it right folks. The teachers are already the best paid of any American city, the education budget is already $1 billion short and the teachers already get 3 months paid holiday each year - but according to Emanuel, a 16% rise is still justifiable. As absurdly generous as this offer is, the union refuses to accept a deal that requires higher teaching standards. Improved responsibility is something that the union will never stand for that. 

The teacher's union is unapologetic in their abuse of the rights of Chicago children. Many of these children already have to deal with terrible crime rates. Now they can't even go to school. This situation is morally foul. It also perfectly illustrates why I am a Republican. Whatever union bosses like Trumka might say, there is nothing moral about supporting unions who oppose basic freedom of assembly/speech, destroy government budgets, drive up living costs for all and reduce employment. The big problem with Obama's American Jobs Act (apart from its absence of affordability) is that it would simply throw more money at unions like this one. 

The people of Chicago and Illinois need leaders like Chris Christie. A politician willing to say and do what is necessary for the well being of American children.
The Chicago teacher's union is a disgrace and should be called out as such.