( CNN ) -- After six days of protests that packed the state capitol , Wisconsin 's major teachers ' union called on members to start returning to work Monday but keep fighting a proposed rollback of union protections for public employees . `` To educators whose contracts do not recognize Presidents ' Day , we call on them to return to duty by day -- and find ways to be vocal and visible after their workday is done , '' Mary Bell , president of the nearly 100,000-member Wisconsin Education Association Council , told members in a statement issued Sunday afternoon . `` To those whose contracts recognize Presidents ' Day as a holiday , we call on them to return to Madison . '' But other unions said they plan to continue demonstrations into Tuesday , and not all members of Bell 's union had decided to follow her lead . Members of Madison 's WEAC local , the MTI Teachers Union , have voted to remain at the capitol on Monday at least , its president , Mike Lipp , told CNN . `` I think every teacher in here wants to be back with their students , but we also understand that there are important points to be made , '' Madison high school teacher David Olson told CNN . `` And so far , we 've done a good job of using our collective action to force the issue and to make sure people understand why we 're fighting . It 's an important fight to continue . '' Wisconsin 's new Republican governor , Scott Walker , is pushing a state budget bill that would severely curtail collective bargaining for public employees . Walker says the measures are needed to head off a $ 3.6 billion budget shortfall by 2013 that could result in thousands of layoffs . But the issue has triggered widespread resistance from unions , even those that wo n't be affected by the plan , and the 14 Democrats in the state Senate have fled Wisconsin to stall a vote on the plan . `` It is not about specific negotiation points , '' Matthew Kearney , a member of the Teaching Assistants Association and the University of Wisconsin-Madison , told CNN on Sunday . `` It 's about the existence of unions , the fact that this bill would make it impossible for public unions to exist in Wisconsin . That 's what 's it 's designed to do , to destroy public unions . '' The demonstrations caused schools districts to cancel classes in Milwaukee and Madison for much of last week as large numbers of teachers took the day off work to protest . Some teachers have been given doctors ' notes to excuse their absences from physicians sympathetic to their cause , protesters told CNN . And an estimated 55,000 people turned out for Saturday rallies at the capitol , mostly in opposition to Walker 's plan . Several thousand more packed the building on Sunday , sending up a rousing cheer when a group of firefighters -- who , along with police , are exempt from Walker 's proposed bill -- joined them in a show of support . Speaking on `` Fox News Sunday , '' Walker denied complaints that he was trying to break up public employee unions . But he said that collective bargaining has hindered local governments ' efforts to manage their finances `` time and time again . '' `` The difference is , unlike those other states , I want to give those local governments the tools they need to balance the budget now and in the future , '' he said . `` They ca n't do that with the current collective bargaining laws in the state . '' Walker called on the fugitive Democrats to come back home , telling them , `` If you want to participate in a democracy , you 've got to be in the arena . '' But the senators said they 'll stay away unless Walker agrees to negotiations over his proposal , arguing that teachers have already agreed to pay more toward health care and pensions . `` In return , they ask only that the provisions that deny their right to collectively bargain are removed , '' state Senator Jon Erpenbach , a Democrat , said Saturday . CNN 's Casey Wian and Chris Welch contributed to this report .
Unions have protested for 6 days in Madison . The largest teachers ' union calls for a return to work . Score: 7