More than 4,000 Minneapolis educators have been on strike since last Tuesday. It’s the first time in more than 50 years that the teachers' union has gone out on strike.

Many of the demands being made by striking Minneapolis teachers now are similar to those made by educators in 1970. However, that earlier walkout helped transform the state's approach to education and to public sector unions.

Strikers marched and picketed for 20 days before the union and management settled. By law, they weren't allowed to strike so the Minneapolis teachers lost their jobs. 

The 1970 strike didn’t result in immediate salary raises but led both the school board and the unions to agree to push for a united statewide political approach to address longtime issues in public education.

Louise Sundin, who was one of the many striking teachers in Minneapolis in 1970, says she’s proud of the role she and her colleagues played to set the stage so today’s teachers can keep pushing. She's even joined them on the picket line.