News
West Virginia Leades Reach Deal to End Strike
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
West Virginia’s teachers are applauding the unanimous Senate approval of a 5 percent raise in pay for teachers and troopers, in a deal to end a nine-day walkout that closed schools statewide.
Teachers cheered in the Senate gallery after the 34-0 approval. The raise also covers school service personnel.
The House already approved the deal in a vote of 99-0 on Tuesday.
Governor Jim Justice said “I believe in you and I love our kids” to the teachers after the deal was made, and plans a news conference later Tuesday.
West Virginia’s teachers are among the lowest paid in the nation and haven’t had a salary increase in four years. Senate Finance Chairman Craig Blair said they’ll need to cut state spending by $20 million to pay for the raises by taking funds from general government services and Medicaid.
Other state workers will have to wait for a budget bill to pass before getting their 5 percent raises promised under the deal.