Bargaining resumes in Wayne-Westland teachers strike

Walkout cancels classes today By TAMMY STABLES BATTAGLIA and PEGGY WALSH-SARNECI • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS • October 6, 2008 UPDATED AT 3:58 P.M.: Both sides in the Wayne-Westland Schools strike planned to resume bargaining at 4 p.m. today, with a state mediator in attendance. It was unclear this morning how long classes would be canceled in the school district after a teachers strike forced the district to shut down today. Teacher strikes are illegal in Michigan, but Wayne-Westland teachers claim walking off the job was the only way they could get the administration’s attention — and a fair deal on class sizes and health insurance. District officials say they have been negotiating fairly and criticized the teachers for leaving families scrambling this morning. “The students and their families will suffer as a result of the... [read full story]