Eastern Michigan University files lawsuit against striking faculty

Eastern Michigan strike leads to lawsuit from university

Eastern Michigan University is trying to force striking faculty back into the classroom. On Tuesday, 91% of faculty voted to strike, with health care and wages being a big concern.

YPSILANTI, Mich. (FOX 2) - Faculty at Eastern Michigan are on strike outside the Ypsilanti university.

On Tuesday night, 91% of the faculty voted to strike. Main concerns include wages and health insurance.

The university has filed a lawsuit claiming the strike is illegal because the faculty are public employees.

"Nobody wanted to go on strike. We are aware of the legal issues around striking, but it didn't have to be this way. We've been negotiating in good faith with our administration since July. We shouldn't have gotten to this point," said Matt Kirkpatrick, an English professor who was named in the lawsuit. "We've gotten to a point where our administration hasn't been responding to our last proposal on compensation and health care."

Read: EMU faculty union weighing strike against school after breakdown in negotiations

Kirkpatrick said the strike is a "last resort."

The school is trying to force faculty back to class with the suit.