While it's true that West Virginia's public school teachers are the
third lowest paid in the nation, we need to remember that every
state's teachers struggle with inadequate salaries, health care,
pensions, teaching supplies and decent classrooms in most inner
cities. It is not just a matter of teachers being pushed down into
the ranks of the Working Poor, it is the deliberate neglect of the
entire public school system that is dividing our nation into a
widening gap between the Elite and the Working Class. Wealthy
families afford the latest in teaching tools, and in the top teacher
graduates. Wealth does have its privileges, enabling parents to send
their children to expensive, well staffed and equipped colleges. Not
only do these children receive the best of the best in education, they
graduate without the burden of student loans. Our public education is
in as bad of shape as is our infrastructure. We are headed for a
major national melt down.
Carl Jarvis
On 3/2/18, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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
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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
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