2018 West Virginia teachers' strike: Difference between revisions
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The '''West Virginia teachers' strike''' began on February 22, 2018 with a call from the West Virginia branches of the [[American Federation of Teachers]] and the [[National Education Association]] for teachers across [[West Virginia]] to strike. The strike |
The '''West Virginia teachers' strike''' began on February 22, 2018 with a call from the West Virginia branches of the [[American Federation of Teachers]] and the [[National Education Association]] for teachers across [[West Virginia]] to strike. The strike, called in response to low pay and high health care costs, involved roughly 20,000 teachers and public school employees and shut down schools in all 55 West Virginia counties, affecting some 250,000 students.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/us/west-virginia-teachers-strike.html|title=West Virginia Teachers, Protesting Low Pay, Walk Out|last=Hauser|first=Christine|date=February 23, 2018|work=New York Times|access-date=May 23, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://time.com/5176094/west-virginia-teacher-strike/|title=Here's Why West Virginia Teachers Are On Strike|website=Time|language=en|access-date=2018-05-23}}</ref> The [[Industrial Workers of the World]] issued a press release about the strike.<ref name="Kalmbacher">{{cite news|url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/teachers-defy-union-and-governor-continue-statewide-strike-even-after-deal-reached/|title=Teachers Defy Union and Governor, Continue Statewide Strike Even After Deal Reached|last=Kalmbacher|first=Colin|date=March 1, 2018|work=Law and Crime|accessdate=23 March 2018}}</ref> |
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The strike [[2018 teachers' strikes in the United States|inspired teachers in other states]], including [[2018 Oklahoma teachers' strike|Oklahoma]], [[2018 Colorado teachers' strike|Colorado]], and [[2018 Arizona teachers' strike|Arizona]], to take similar action.<ref>{{cite news|title=Inspired by West Virginia Strike, Teachers in Oklahoma and Kentucky Plan Walk Out|url=http://ktla.com/2018/04/02/inspired-by-west-virginia-strike-teachers-in-oklahoma-and-kentucky-plan-walk-out/|accessdate=17 April 2018|agency=[[KTLA]]|date=April 2, 2018}}</ref> Teachers in other states, including North Carolina and Kentucky have also coordinated protests and walkouts on a smaller scale. |
The strike [[2018 teachers' strikes in the United States|inspired teachers in other states]], including [[2018 Oklahoma teachers' strike|Oklahoma]], [[2018 Colorado teachers' strike|Colorado]], and [[2018 Arizona teachers' strike|Arizona]], to take similar action.<ref>{{cite news|title=Inspired by West Virginia Strike, Teachers in Oklahoma and Kentucky Plan Walk Out|url=http://ktla.com/2018/04/02/inspired-by-west-virginia-strike-teachers-in-oklahoma-and-kentucky-plan-walk-out/|accessdate=17 April 2018|agency=[[KTLA]]|date=April 2, 2018}}</ref> Teachers in other states, including North Carolina and Kentucky have also coordinated protests and walkouts on a smaller scale. |
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Revision as of 11:58, 23 May 2018
| 2018 West Virginia teachers' strike | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the 2018 teachers' strikes in the United States | |||
 WV Teacher Strike at Bunker Hill Elementary School in Berkeley County, West Virginia. | |||
| Date | February 23, 2018 – March 7, 2018 | ||
| Location | |||
| Methods | |||
| Resulted in | 5% pay raise for teachers | ||
| Parties | |||
| Lead figures | |||
Dale Lee | |||
The West Virginia teachers' strike began on February 22, 2018 with a call from the West Virginia branches of the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association for teachers across West Virginia to strike. The strike, called in response to low pay and high health care costs, involved roughly 20,000 teachers and public school employees and shut down schools in all 55 West Virginia counties, affecting some 250,000 students.[1][2] The Industrial Workers of the World issued a press release about the strike.[3]
The strike inspired teachers in other states, including Oklahoma, Colorado, and Arizona, to take similar action.[4] Teachers in other states, including North Carolina and Kentucky have also coordinated protests and walkouts on a smaller scale.
Salary demands
The strike was called in response to the low pay of West Virginia teachers, whose compensation ranks 48th in the United States.[5][6] The strike also responded to a pay raise passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Jim Justice that provided only a 2% raise for 2019, and 1% raise for 2020 and a 1% raise for 2021 and a freeze on premiums for 16 months to benefits. The teachers' unions did not release vote totals for the strike. Every public school district in the state closed to avoid confrontations. It is the first such strike since 1990.[7] West Virginia teachers have a stronger negotiating position in the strike because many teaching positions remain unfilled.[8] Teachers say that because of low pay in West Virginia, the state has difficulty attracting and retaining teachers.[9]
Health insurance costs
One of the major issues involved funding for the Public Employees Insurance Agency, the state health insurance plan. The West Virginia Legislature had voted to boost state contributions to the plan by using a percentage of the annual state surplus, but the teachers' unions were demanding a more reliable financing plan.[10][8] Health care costs have increased quickly enough that proposed teacher pay increases cannot match teacher payments for health care.[8]
The Strike and Negotiations
The work stoppage took place in defiance of state law forbidding public employee strikes. On February 21, the day before the walkout, state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey warned that “a work stoppage of any length on any ground is illegal” and said his office would support local districts attempting to enforce the state ban on public employee strikes.[11] Nonetheless, on the same day, Governor Justice signed into law a bill offering teachers a 2% pay increase. "We need to keep our kids and teachers in the classroom,” Gov. Justice said in signing the law. “We certainly recognize our teachers are underpaid and this is a step in the right direction to addressing their pay issue."[12] Teachers said that the 2% pay raise, and subsequent raises of 1% slated for 2020 and 2021, would not keep up with inflation.[1]
Teachers rejected the pay raise, walking out across the state on February 22. The same day, a crowd estimated at 5,000 demonstrated at the West Virginia State Capitol.[13][14]
The strike continued on February 23, as all schools in the state were closed once again. Teachers and other workers rallied in front of the West Virginia State Capitol as well as picketed in front of individual schools. West Virginia teachers have a stronger negotiating position in the strike because many teaching positions remain unfilled.[8]
A deal reached by union leaders and Governor Jim Justice was announced on February 27, and union leaders called on teachers and other education-related personnel to return to classrooms on Thursday March 1, after a "cooling off" period.[15] However, during the late evening on February 28, every county announced school closures due to continuing work stoppages, and by this point the stoppage had become a wildcat strike.[16] On March 3, the West Virginia Senate rejected a bill passed by the West Virginia House of Delegates approving the agreed upon 5% pay rise, instead proposing a 4% pay rise, extending the strike into an eighth work day.[17]
A similar strike was proposed by teachers in Oklahoma, where teacher compensation is worse than in West Virginia, at 49th in the United States.[18][8][5] On Sunday March 4, 1,400 West Virginia Frontier Communications workers went on strike in response to company restructuring, also citing rising health care costs, and the example of the Teacher's Strike.[19]
West Virginia school personnel returned to classrooms on Wednesday March 7 after the State Senate agreed to the House's position following conference committee negotiations.[8]
See also
- Education in West Virginia
- 2012 Chicago Teachers Strike
- Hayward teachers strike
- 2018 Teachers' Strikes in the United States
References
- ^ a b Hauser, Christine (February 23, 2018). "West Virginia Teachers, Protesting Low Pay, Walk Out". New York Times. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
- ^ "Here's Why West Virginia Teachers Are On Strike". Time. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
- ^ Kalmbacher, Colin (March 1, 2018). "Teachers Defy Union and Governor, Continue Statewide Strike Even After Deal Reached". Law and Crime. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ "Inspired by West Virginia Strike, Teachers in Oklahoma and Kentucky Plan Walk Out". KTLA. April 2, 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ a b Simpson, Ian (6 March 2018). "UPDATE 2-West Virginia lawmakers weigh pay deal to end teachers strike". Reuters. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
- ^ NEA Research (May 2017). "Rankings of the States 2016 and Estimates of School Statistics 2017" (PDF). www.nea.org (PDF). Retrieved May 23, 2018.
{{cite web}}: Check|archive-url=value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ Wamsley, Laurel (February 22, 2018). "West Virginia's Teachers Walk Off The Job, Protesting Low Pay And Benefit Cuts : The Two-Way : NPR". NPR. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f Krieg, Gregory. "Is the West Virginia teachers' strike the future of American labor?". No. 6 March 2018. CNN. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
- ^ Schoen, John (6 March 2018). "West Virginia teachers strike sheds light on stagnant wages for educators across the US". CNBC. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
- ^ Associated Press (February 22, 2018). "W.Va. House votes to use budget surpluses to help fund PEIA". WSAZ. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
- ^ Morrissey, Patrick (May 23, 2018). "Patrick Morrissey Facebook". Facebook.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ "Gov. Justice Signs Pay Raise Bill". governor.wv.gov. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
- ^ White, Jerry. "West Virginia teachers carry out state-wide strike". Retrieved 2018-05-23.
- ^ Jorgensen, Sarah (February 23, 2018). "West Virginia teacher walk-out closes all public schools". CNN. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
- ^ Osborne, Mark (February 28, 2018). "West Virginia teachers will return to school post-strike after "cooling off" period". ABC News. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
- ^ Quinn, Ryan (February 28, 2018). "WV school employee strike to continue across state". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
- ^ Jorgensen, Sarah; Ellis, Ralph; Sanchez, Ray (March 4, 2018). "West Virginia legislature can't break impasse over raises for striking teachers". CNN. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
- ^ Anapol, Avery (March 3, 2018). "Oklahoma teachers planning statewide strike". The Hill. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
- ^ "West Virginia telecommunications workers continue strike, support teachers". World Socialist Web Site. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.