Chicago Public Schools has canceled multiple freshman and junior varsity football games this week after football referees went on strike due to not being paid for several weeks.
“Varsity [football] games are in jeopardy,” official Breyion Hutchinson told the Sun-Times on Wednesday. “If the officials are not paid today they will not work tomorrow.”
All the officials that regularly work CPS football games are on strike. According to official Mike Outten there are a couple hundred football officials.
“CPS officials can work two football games on Thursday, two games on Friday and up to three games on Saturday,” Hutchinson said. “Along with volleyball and flag football. We depend on this money for our livelihood.”
Football officials were paid directly by the schools for Weeks 1 through 3. CPS was supposed to start paying them in Week 4 and that hasn’t happened according to Hutchinson and Outten. Week 7 begins on Thursday.
“Two weeks ago when we met with the [CPS Sports Administration] they told us funds would be released Friday through Monday,” Hutchinson said. “Then we received an email from [CPS Sports Director] Devon Morales on Monday which said funds were being released that day. That wasn’t true.”
Morgan Park football coach Chris James confirmed to the Sun-Times that Morgan Park’s freshman game on Monday and junior varsity game on Wednesday were canceled by CPS.
“As a staff and school we just want it to get worked out, this hurts the development of the players and the experience they have playing football,” James said.
Young football coach Dan Finger told the Sun-Times that Young’s junior varsity game was canceled on Monday. Finger is concerned about the status of his varsity game on Thursday against Bulls Prep.
“It is frustrating because with a little heads up we’d pay for the refs ourselves,” Finger said. “Junior varsity only gets five games or so to begin with and we didn’t find out [it was canceled] until 2 p.m. with kickoff at 4:30 p.m.”
Ten varsity Public League football games are scheduled for Thursday with a full slate of games scheduled on Friday and Saturday.
CPS has not released any statement on the issue.
“Our stance is until these guys are paid they are not going on the field,” Outten said. “We had a meeting on Monday in which we asked the officials who has been paid. Everyone said they had not. We aren’t working until they pay us.”
Illinois High School Association Executive Director Craig Anderson released the following statement on Wednesday.
“The IHSA is aware of the current situation between Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and IHSA football officials working games for CPS. Given that IHSA officials are hired as independent contractors, we have no direct involvement in this matter but are monitoring it closely. Officials have a difficult job, and at a time when it is becoming more difficult to recruit and retain officials, it is vital that they be provided the respect they deserve in every step of the process. We expect the situation will be remedied expeditiously so our officials are justly compensated for their work, and student-athletes do not have to miss out on any participation opportunities. We are ready and willing to be a resource in any way we can to help resolve this matter.”
State Rep. Kam Buckner also released a statement on Wednesday.
“Administrative problems happen,” Buckner said in the statement. “Payment systems fail. Invoices get delayed. But none of those explanations can become an expectation that individual officials finance Chicago Public Schools by continuing to work week after week without being paid.
“A young person who has practiced all week should not arrive at game day and discover there is no contest because an official who worked weeks earlier is still waiting to be compensated.”