Both sides 'dug in' as Chicago teachers strike drags on

CHICAGO (REUTERS) - Chicago teachers stayed away from public schools for a third day on Wednesday in a strike over Mayor Rahm Emanuel's demand for tough teacher evaluations that United States (US) education reform advocates see as crucial to fixing urban schools.

With more than 350,000 children out of school, the patience of parents and labour negotiators began to fray as hopes of a quick resolution to the biggest US labour strike in a year were dashed.

Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, who is based in Chicago, appeared at the site where negotiations were supposed to take place on Wednesday and said that he had met with both sides separately to urge them to settle.

"Both sides are dug in. They can't hear each other," Mr Jackson said.