#wvea

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Statewide education strike looms in West Virginia

By Otis Grotewohl

Charleston, W.V. — Thousands of public, state and education employees rallied here at the state Capitol on Feb. 17  to protest plans by the billionaire, coal-baron governor and his right-wing-led legislature to increase out-of-pocket insurance costs and break the unions.

Kotanya Hart, a member of United Electrical Workers Local 170 and leader of “Race Matters in West Virginia,” told Workers World: “The state’s legislature is trying to divide us public employees by offering a small pay raise to some and nothing to others. They want to build a wall between us and we need to tear down that wall.”

At the end of the rally, the state presidents of the AFT-WV and WVEA announced a statewide walkout of all education employees on Feb. 22-23. The presidents announced that if nothing better is offered by the legislature before then, they are prepared to either stay out or continue other actions.

This is in defiance of the state’s prohibition of strikes carried out by public employees, as well as threats of a possible injunction from the reactionary state attorney general.

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

West Virginia education strike continues

By Otto Grotewohl

Charleston, W.Va., Feb. 26 — Tens of thousands of teachers and service personnel in West Virginia braved rainy weather and carried out what is the first successful statewide teachers’ strike there in U.S. labor history on Feb. 22 and 23. Education employees in all 55 counties forced superintendents of education to close schools on those days.

The strike continued throughout the state on Monday, Feb. 26, with thousands rallying at the state Capitol in Charleston, and reports indicate that a fourth day of the walkout will happen on Feb. 27.

This action followed a union rally on Feb. 17 and a directive from state leaders of the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia, West Virginia Education Association and the West Virginia School Service Personnel Association. 

Striking educators and school support staff packed the hallways of the state Capitol in Charleston on Thursday and Friday, uniting on such chants as “Fired up, fed up!” and “What’s disgusting? Union busting!” Others set up picket lines at their schools throughout the whole state.