District Emergency Manager Makes Overture To Teacher's Union

DETROIT (WWJ) - There's a glimmer of hope Friday in the dispute between Detroit teachers and the district.

WWJ's Sandra McNeill reports that a rally with hundreds of teachers attended by American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten took place at the New Center Place in Detroit.

Weingarten, who also met with the Districts' Emergency Manager (EM) Roy Roberts, addressed the crowd.

"Today we are all Detroiters," Weingarten told the crowd.

"What happened at this meeting was that we said and they agreed that were things are right now is not right," said Weingarten.

The teachers are upset with and not will to accept the contract imposed by Roberts, they want him to bargain with the union.

Activist Steve Khon interupted a speech during the rally with a cry to strike, which was not met with much enthusiasm from the crowd.

Detroit Federation of Teachers president Keith Johnson told WWJ after meeting with Roberts that he'd be happy if, "we would sit down and negotiate," but added that there was progress made today.

Roberts made an overture to the union when he agreed to hear changes that the teachers would like to see made in the contract, although under the current state law, the District's EM is able to move forward without bargaining with the union.