West Virginia public schools closed for nine school days in February and March as school staff and supporters, motivated by demands for better wages and benefits for teachers, took to the capitol in Charleston. According to the National Education Association, an average West Virginia teacher’s salary is $45,701, compared to a nationwide average of $58,950.
The protests led the legislature and Gov. Jim Justice to give state personnel a 3 percent raise and school employees a 5 percent raise for the coming school year. This came after Justice’s proposal of a 2 percent raise for the next year followed by two years of 1 percent raises did not end the strike. Before the walkouts, the state Senate had also passed a bill to give teachers a 1 percent raise each year for five years.
After the strike, the governor created a task force to examine the union’s concerns about the state employee health insurance program. — Shelby Jones
Related Articles
Latest News
More Stories
English Language Learning in Appalachia
Learning English is always difficult. But current aggressive approaches to immigration policy are creating more barriers for learners and the programs that serve them than ever before in Appalachia and beyond.
Landfill Drama
Many residents of Pike County, Kentucky, are breathing a sigh of relief since county commissioners finalized their decision to rescind a contract with an out-of-state waste management company.
Overdrive: Fossil Fuels in Appalachia
Electricity demand is on the rise. Here, we share snapshots of energy trends in the region and how methane gas, coal and data centers are affecting our communities — and how people are pushing back.
Less Support for Communities with Mine Problems
The Trump administration issued a regulation to weaken the Ten Day Notice process that helps community members call in federal enforcement when state regulators don’t do a good job policing environmental problems at coal mines
Chaos at the Tennessee Valley Authority, Cuts to Public Input
The past year has brought turmoil and uncertainty to the Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation’s largest public power provider, and its more than 10 million customers across the Tennessee Valley.
Landmark Coal Ash Protections Under Attack
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is planning to eviscerate important, hard-won regulations on coal ash, a toxic waste left after burning coal for energy.
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Leave a Comment