SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Teachers in West Virginia will go back to school on Thursday following a four-day strike, after the governor announced educators would get a five percent raise this year. Concerns over the state's public employee healthcare program remain unresolved. (Photo: @WSAZJatara/Twitter)
West Virginia Teachers Win Pay Raise After Four-Day Walkout, But Say Fight Far From Over
Educators will get a five percent pay raise, but the governor announced no long-term solution to fund the state's public employees' healthcare program
Feb 28, 2018
Many of the thousands of West Virginia teachers who participated in a historic strike that kept every public school in the state closed for four days over the past week say that their fight for fair compensation is not over yet--despite a deal that was reached Tuesday evening that Governor Jim Justice says will give educators a five percent raise this year.
The walkout began last Thursday, after Justice announced that the state's teachers would receive a four percent raise over the next three years--which teachers and the non-partisan West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy said would not be enough to keep up with the rising cost of living, including healthcare expenses.
"We aren't finished. This was no win by a long shot. Not a win until PEIA is funded."--Laetitia, West Virginia teacher
While teachers applauded the five percent pay raise, the governor's offer did not address concerns about healthcare costs in the state's public employee health insurance program.
The teachers have demanded a permanent solution to rising premiums in the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA). The agency announced it would freeze prices for the coming year last week, but the West Virginia Teachers Association wants the state to assemble a task force to find a long-term fix. The state is currently using money from its "rainy day fund" to keep PEIA running as it waits for funding.
The PEIA's shortfall came as reports surfaced showing that coal companies linked to Justice owe the state $2.9 million in property taxes.
Teachers on the ground posted on social media that while they will return to school on Thursday after Wednesday's "cooling off day," they won't consider the fight over until the PEIA is fully funded.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Many of the thousands of West Virginia teachers who participated in a historic strike that kept every public school in the state closed for four days over the past week say that their fight for fair compensation is not over yet--despite a deal that was reached Tuesday evening that Governor Jim Justice says will give educators a five percent raise this year.
The walkout began last Thursday, after Justice announced that the state's teachers would receive a four percent raise over the next three years--which teachers and the non-partisan West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy said would not be enough to keep up with the rising cost of living, including healthcare expenses.
"We aren't finished. This was no win by a long shot. Not a win until PEIA is funded."--Laetitia, West Virginia teacher
While teachers applauded the five percent pay raise, the governor's offer did not address concerns about healthcare costs in the state's public employee health insurance program.
The teachers have demanded a permanent solution to rising premiums in the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA). The agency announced it would freeze prices for the coming year last week, but the West Virginia Teachers Association wants the state to assemble a task force to find a long-term fix. The state is currently using money from its "rainy day fund" to keep PEIA running as it waits for funding.
The PEIA's shortfall came as reports surfaced showing that coal companies linked to Justice owe the state $2.9 million in property taxes.
Teachers on the ground posted on social media that while they will return to school on Thursday after Wednesday's "cooling off day," they won't consider the fight over until the PEIA is fully funded.
Many of the thousands of West Virginia teachers who participated in a historic strike that kept every public school in the state closed for four days over the past week say that their fight for fair compensation is not over yet--despite a deal that was reached Tuesday evening that Governor Jim Justice says will give educators a five percent raise this year.
The walkout began last Thursday, after Justice announced that the state's teachers would receive a four percent raise over the next three years--which teachers and the non-partisan West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy said would not be enough to keep up with the rising cost of living, including healthcare expenses.
"We aren't finished. This was no win by a long shot. Not a win until PEIA is funded."--Laetitia, West Virginia teacher
While teachers applauded the five percent pay raise, the governor's offer did not address concerns about healthcare costs in the state's public employee health insurance program.
The teachers have demanded a permanent solution to rising premiums in the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA). The agency announced it would freeze prices for the coming year last week, but the West Virginia Teachers Association wants the state to assemble a task force to find a long-term fix. The state is currently using money from its "rainy day fund" to keep PEIA running as it waits for funding.
The PEIA's shortfall came as reports surfaced showing that coal companies linked to Justice owe the state $2.9 million in property taxes.
Teachers on the ground posted on social media that while they will return to school on Thursday after Wednesday's "cooling off day," they won't consider the fight over until the PEIA is fully funded.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy