This paper explores the implications for democratic policy making and school governance of collective bargaining with teachers. Based on a case study of the 1992 Teachers Strike in Detroit, Michigan, the research examines the relationships among actors involved in the strike and in its settlement. Findings of this research suggest that the strike derailed a reform movement and led to election of a new school board that encouraged the superintendent to resign. Citizens gained some limited attention to their concerns through involvement of the clergy, civic leaders, and the county executive's office. The research suggests that multilateral collective bargaining offers more opportunities for citizen representation in school policy making than does the traditional bilateral bargaining model. (EH)