WEST VIRGINIA TEACHERS END STRIKE

West Virginia teachers went back to work today, ending a two day strike over a state bill that would have started charter schools in that state as well as creating educational savings accounts (government money to attend private schools). That same bill would have also given the teachers a 5% raise just as they achieved by going on strike last year.

Teachers in West Virgina stood on principle by walking off the job rather than accepting a decent raise in exchange for provisions that were totally unacceptable. We can learn something here in New York. Salary isn't everything.

From WVAMetroNews.com:

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The statewide education strike will end after two days following the House of Delegates opting not to act Wednesday on the omnibus legislation that angered teachers unions.

Leaders of the state’s three leading education unions and legislators announced the decision to end the strike after the House adjourned for the day.

The House moved Tuesday to indefinitely postpone action on the omnibus education bill, which included a 5-percent pay raise in addition to provisions establishing education savings accounts and charter schools.

“This is about the members who made the most difficult decision that you can make, and that’s to step out of the classroom. But they did it for their kids,” said Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association. “They said they weren’t interested in the pay raise if it was going to hurt their kids.”

These teachers in West Virginia aren't exactly rich and they went on strike rather than accept charter schools and educational savings accounts. They are returning to work without another dime in their pockets.

I gather that by the end of the legislative session those 5% raises for the teachers will be passed into law but there won't be any educational savings accounts or other provisions teachers won't be able to live with. Militancy works.

I  often hear that teachers in New York City make too much money to think about militancy. That is an important point but I believe working conditions that are abominable in many NYC schools (high class size, unsafe schools, administrative harassment and intimidation, students being pushed along who cannot do acceptable work, an invalid, unreliable evaluation system and more) give teachers here ample reason to be angry and want to do something collectively.
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When teachers fight, we are winning all over the place. By the way, public employees cannot legally strike in West Virginia.