Teachers’ Unions Coming to Terms With Their Districts

Teachers in Gary, Ind., returned to work Sept. 1, the morning after resolving an 11-day strike.

The teachers’ union and district officials agreed to a 2 percent pay raise for teachers for three consecutive years—beginning with the 2004-05 school year—and will not have to ante up more than they already do for health insurance. They had been asked to pay 10 percent, up from the 7 percent they currently contribute. Teachers’ lunch hours will, however, be reduced from a full hour to 45 minutes, beginning next school year.

Mary Steele, the superintendent of the 16,000-student district, had sent a letter to the 1,000 striking teachers earlier in the walkout that alerted them to the consequences of their actions, including the potential loss of their jobs. ( "Labor Unrest Shuts Schools in Midwest," ...