Detroit teachers end strike; talks resume in Chicago

Teachers in some of the nation's school districts are making headway on pay raise negotiations. But strikes by more than 35,000 teachers are still affecting over 500,000 students in seven states. Detroit teachers ended a 20-day strike Saturday, preparing to return to work today. And negotiations resumed over the weekend in Chicago in efforts to end a 12-day strike there.

The Detroit Federation of Teachers' 11,500 members voted Saturday to accept a tentative three-year agreement which calls for a 6.5 percent pay raise in the first year, 7 percent in the second and 6 percent in the third.

Negotiations resumed on Saturday in Chicago amid stepped-up pressure from parents, but the two sides remained at odds.

``We'll give it our best shot,'' board spokesman Robert Saigh said before the new round of talks began. ``But the board's got to negotiate within the parameters of its budget.''

In Ohio, negotiations were expected to resume Sunday between striking teachers and the Youngstown Board of Education amid signs that the two sides moved closer to an agreement in a productive session Friday.

Bargaining sessions are scheduled this week for two of Pennsylvania's striking school districts. Two other contract disputes remain unresolved.