Detroit Battle Goes On...

Full CNN story here.

Teachers defy judge's order to return to work; contract talks resume

DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- Thousands of striking Detroit teachers defied a judge's order to return to work Monday as school officials and the union resumed contract talks in the two-week dispute.

Circuit Judge Susan Borman on Friday ordered the 7,000 teachers to go back to work Monday, but district spokesman Lekan Oguntoyinbo said the overwhelming majority remained off the job. He said attorneys would go back in court Tuesday to ask the judge to "enforce our rights."

State law allows for fines and other penalties against employees who ignore a back-to-work order, but Oguntoyinbo would not say what action the district would seek.

I'll be keeping my eye on this...but one might ask, why the strike? What is Detroit asking of its teachers?

Check this out from CBSNEWS.COM:

The union last month rejected a two-year contract proposal that sought 5.5-percent wage reductions and copays for health care benefits of up to 20 percent.At Beaubien Middle School, many parents dropping their children off expressed sympathy with the teachers, who are being asked to make $88 million in concessions."They have to provide for their families," said Diane Madlock, whose son Jonathan is starting seventh grade. "They can't do that if their salaries are continually being cut."

Let's see...5.5% wage cut, check. 20% rise in insurance co-pays...check.

What would you do? Do you support what the teachers in Detroit are doing? Anyone know how we can help out our union brothers and sisters (Is it just me, or does the "brothers and sisters" part sounds too 70's?) across the pond as it were?