West Virginia teachers unions call for strike over education bill
ASSOCIATED PRESS / 2018
Teachers from across Kentucky gathered inside the state capitol in 2018 to rally for increased funding and to protest changes to their state-funded pension system in Frankfort, Ky.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. >> West Virginia teachers’ unions have called a statewide strike over an education bill that they view as retaliation for a nine-day walkout last year.
Leaders of three unions for teachers and school service workers said at a news conference today that the strike would start Tuesday.
West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee says that watching the actions of the state Senate, “it appears that they are more interested in listening to the outside interests than they are the educators across West Virginia.”
Teachers won a 5 percent pay raise after last year’s strike.
The Senate version of the complex bill would allow for up to seven charter schools statewide and provide for up to 1,000 education savings accounts for parents to pay for private school.
The House passed its version of the bill last week.
