https://socialistaction.org/2018/03/01/labor-briefing-for-march-2018-teachers-strike-in-west-virginia/
Labor Briefing for March 2018: West Virginia teachers strike
/ 20 hours ago
West Virginia Teachers Walkout
Hundreds of teachers and school personnel rally at the capitol building
in Charleston, W.V., on Feb. 27. (Craig Hudson / Charleston Gazette-Mail)
By BILL ONASCH
West Virginia “Wildcats”—Technically, public sector collective
bargaining is illegal in West Virginia. But practically, governors have
negotiated in the past with teachers—and school service employees
including bus drivers, cafeteria, clerical, and maintenance workers—for
salary and benefit packages passed by the legislature. While perhaps
better than nothing, the teachers have been falling behind.
School employees (20,000 teachers and 15,000 other workers) last got a
raise four years ago, and West Virginia ranks 48th among state teacher
salaries. If that weren’t bad enough, their health insurance benefits
have been woefully underfunded, forcing them to pay more out of pocket.
When the governor told them this year he could offer no more than a one
percent raise, they turned to traditional trade-union tactics.
Thousands of teachers, school service employees and supporters rallied
at West Virginia’s capitol in Charleston on Feb. 16 demanding that the
legislature restore their drained health fund—and give them a raise.
National officers of the American Federation of Teachers and National
Education Association spoke, as did representatives from the state
AFL-CIO, United Mine Workers, and the union representing state troopers.
Following the rally, it was announced that if no agreement could be
reached, a strike would shut down every public school in West Virginia
the following Thursday. That “illegal” strike lasted four school
days—plus one “cooling off day”—before a tentative deal was made with
the governor.
The agreement included a five percent raise in school employee salaries
and creation of a “task force” to recommend improvements in health
insurance for all state workers. The one-time Democrat turned Republican
governor managed to sell the settlement to the GOP-controlled
legislature, which voted 98 to one to approve it. The bill also included
a 3% pay raise for other state workers.
Union leaders urged a “yes” vote on the proposed contract, and everyone
expected a quick ratification by teachers. But that didn’t happen. Union
locals in 50 of the 55 counties rejected the deal that many observers
had believed was a big victory.
The ranks were generally satisfied with the wages but considered soaring
health-care costs to be more important. The governor said that he would
freeze health insurance premiums for at least a year, and that a task
force would be appointed to look more closely at the issue. But many
teachers said that the offer was still too limited. They want action,
not another study. As we go to press, the “wildcat” strike continues.
Labor Board Reverses Itself—A previous Labor Briefing reported a
December decision by the new Republican majority on the National Labor
Relations Board to reverse the Browning Ferris ruling made late during
the Obama administration. That ruling, establishing joint responsibility
of corporations with their contractors and franchises in collective
bargaining, had the potential to become a game-changer for efforts of
fast food workers, port drivers, and others who had fallen through some
cracks in red-letter labor law.
But this reprieve for the likes of McDonald’s and the Port of Los
Angeles didn’t last long. It was discovered a new Trump appointee had a
business stake in the outcome of that action and should have recused
himself. Without his vote, the Board was tied and Browning Ferris was
reinstated.
Sanctuary Through Solidarity—The New York Daily News reported: “Worried
about federal immigration policies, a New York labor organization is
taking steps to protect its own. Across Long Island and throughout the
city, some 120,000 Teamsters are getting prepped to become a ‘sanctuary
union.’ In 27 shops, business agents, supervisors and front-line workers
are getting schooled on their rights under U.S. law — and when and how
to challenge federal immigration agents who show up to search their work
sites. The training is complex and technical—hinging on specific types
of warrants and the definition of a raid. But in fundamental labor
terms, it follows one simple rule: Union solidarity first, immigration
status second.”
They Move Chicago—After two years of contentious austerity negotiations,
and mobilization of public support by the unions, 9000 Chicago Transit
Authority ATU train and bus workers have a new contract through
arbitration that will expire next year. It includes $45 million in both
retroactive and forward wage increases and maintains the same level of
employee health-care contributions. The CTA has said it will not raise
fares. The Chicago Tribune quotes the ATU Local 241 bus division
president as saying it was “probably the best agreement we’ve had in
decades.”
Go Fund the Boss?—The Associated Press reported: “Southwest Airlines
appears to be backing down from a demand to get credit for money donated
to a fired employee’s GoFundMe account. The change of heart comes after
a union accused Southwest of abusing the generosity of the man’s co-workers.
“Southwest fired Dallas mechanic Ken Hackett a year ago and accused him
of helping organize a boycott of overtime assignments. In December, an
arbitrator ordered the airline to reinstate Hackett with back pay minus
any income he earned from other sources.
“Southwest originally considered the $25,000 raised on GoFundMe to be
outside income, reducing the amount it owed Hackett. Southwest earned
$3.5 billion last year.”
Putting Movement Back In the Labor Movement—That’s one of the slogans of
Labor Notes, a useful monthly publication that covers labor struggles,
and movements for union democracy that are given scant attention by the
boss media. Every two years, they sponsor well-attended educational
conferences. This year it’s expected that 2000 labor activists from
across North America—and dozens from other continents—will be at the
Labor Notes Conference in Chicago, April 6-8. Details can be found
online at: labornotes.org/2018.
If you have a suggestion for Labor Briefing, please contact:
billonasch@xxxxxxxxxxx
Share this:
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
28Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)28
Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
March 1, 2018 in Labor.
Related posts
Fast food workers walked out on Labor Day 2017
Chicago Teachers Union sets Oct. 11 strike date
Labor Briefing for September 2017
Post navigation
← 60,000 in London demand funding for National Health
Get Involved!
Donate to help support our work
Get email updates
Join Socialist Action
Newspaper Archives
Newspaper Archives Select Month March 2018 (1) February 2018 (14)
January 2018 (13) December 2017 (13) November 2017 (13) October 2017
(16) September 2017 (15) August 2017 (16) July 2017 (17) June 2017
(16) May 2017 (17) April 2017 (14) March 2017 (13) February 2017
(19) January 2017 (13) December 2016 (12) November 2016 (19) October
2016 (12) September 2016 (10) August 2016 (10) July 2016 (14) June
2016 (14) May 2016 (9) April 2016 (12) March 2016 (14) February
2016 (8) January 2016 (11) December 2015 (11) November 2015 (9)
October 2015 (8) September 2015 (10) August 2015 (7) July 2015 (13)
June 2015 (9) May 2015 (10) April 2015 (12) March 2015 (9) February
2015 (11) January 2015 (10) December 2014 (12) November 2014 (11)
October 2014 (9) September 2014 (6) August 2014 (10) July 2014 (11)
June 2014 (10) May 2014 (11) April 2014 (10) March 2014 (9) February
2014 (11) January 2014 (11) December 2013 (10) November 2013 (11)
October 2013 (17) September 2013 (13) August 2013 (10) July 2013
(11) June 2013 (15) May 2013 (14) April 2013 (14) March 2013 (12)
February 2013 (10) January 2013 (17) December 2012 (7) November 2012
(8) October 2012 (19) September 2012 (2) August 2012 (27) July 2012
(18) June 2012 (3) May 2012 (19) April 2012 (14) March 2012 (17)
February 2012 (19) January 2012 (17) December 2011 (3) November 2011
(33) October 2011 (14) September 2011 (13) August 2011 (34) July
2011 (24) June 2011 (19) May 2011 (19) April 2011 (15) March 2011
(15) February 2011 (15) January 2011 (15) December 2010 (17) November
2010 (1) October 2010 (6) September 2010 (3) August 2010 (8) July
2010 (7) June 2010 (2) May 2010 (9) April 2010 (3) March 2010 (8)
February 2010 (3) January 2010 (9) December 2009 (6) November 2009
(5) October 2009 (16) September 2009 (3) August 2009 (2) July 2009
(5) June 2009 (2) May 2009 (7) April 2009 (6) March 2009 (16)
February 2009 (9) January 2009 (10) December 2008 (11) November 2008
(8) October 2008 (16) September 2008 (14) August 2008 (18) July 2008
(12) June 2008 (3) May 2008 (2) April 2008 (3) March 2008 (14)
February 2008 (11) January 2008 (11) December 2007 (8) November 2007
(1) July 2007 (1) June 2007 (1) April 2007 (1) March 2007 (1)
February 2007 (3) December 2006 (11) November 2006 (11) October 2006
(13) September 2006 (15) August 2006 (11) July 2006 (18) June 2006
(7) May 2006 (14) April 2006 (6) March 2006 (14) February 2006 (5)
January 2006 (2) December 2005 (9) November 2005 (8) October 2005
(13) September 2005 (12) August 2005 (9) July 2005 (16) June 2005
(16) May 2005 (16) April 2005 (12) March 2005 (14) February 2005
(19) January 2005 (15) December 2004 (14) November 2002 (17) October
2002 (19) September 2002 (22) August 2002 (21) July 2002 (15) May
2002 (21) April 2002 (21) February 2002 (15) January 2002 (15)
December 2001 (17) October 2001 (24) September 2001 (18) July 2001
(19) June 2001 (18) October 2000 (17) September 2000 (21) August
2000 (19) July 2000 (16) June 2000 (26) May 2000 (21) April 2000
(22) March 2000 (28) February 2000 (18) January 2000 (20) December
1999 (20) November 1999 (26) October 1999 (25) September 1999 (18)
August 1999 (40) July 1999 (38) June 1999 (24) May 1999 (27) April
1999 (25) March 1999 (26) February 1999 (29) January 1999 (24) July
1998 (12)
Search
View socialistactionusa’s profile on Facebook
View SocialistActUS’s profile on Twitter
View SocialistActionCT’s profile on YouTube
Subscribe to Our Newspaper
Upcoming Events
No upcoming events
Category Cloud
Actions & Protest Africa Anti-War Arts & Culture Black Liberation Canada
Caribbean Civil Liberties Cuba East Asia Economy Education & Schools
Elections En Español Environment Europe Immigration Indigenous Rights
International Labor Latin America Latino Civil Liberties Marxist Theory
& History Middle East Police & FBI Prisons South Asia Trump / U.S.
Government Uncategorized Women's Liberation
View Calendar
Blog at WordPress.com.
Follow