It has been a busy week for the teacher unions. In Chicago, a strike was narrowly averted; in Park Ridge, Illinois a strike ended; in Miami-Dade, a strike wasn t necessary; and in New York City, it seemed like Chancellor Joel Klein and union head Randi Weingarten just wanted to strike each other.

Chicago teachers voted Thursday to accept an agreement with the Chicago Board of Education, preventing what would have been the first teacher walkout in 16 years. Just outside of Chicago, the 4,300 students in Park Ridge Elementary District 64 headed back to school on Monday a week after teachers walked off the job demanding salary increases. Finally, Miami-Dade's teacher union rebounded from the recent scandal involving scams perpetrated by the head of the union and negotiated two years' worth of raises that will add $500 to $5,850 to every teacher s annual pay.

Meanwhile, in New York City, Chancellor Joel Klein and union president Randi Weingarten continued their war of words. While Ms. Weingarten predictably spent much of her testimony at the start of what was surely a fascinating four days of hearing examining the many obscure provisions of the teacher contract, attacking Mr. Klein and Mayor Bloomberg for having stripped [teachers] of their professionalism, she also surprised many by proposing changes to the teacher contract that would speed up grievance procedures and disciplinary proceedings. She also voiced her exasperation with Klein for failing to attend a recent negotiating session. Where was Mr. Klein during her testimony? Downstairs welcoming a $1 million donation from a slim and trim Sean P- Diddy Combs.