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Legislature approves raises for teachers, state employees

CHARLESTON — Looking to avert a teacher walkout this week, the state Legislature approved SB267 Tuesday night, which would increase salaries for teachers, school service personnel and other state employees.

The measure passed the House of Delegates by a 59-37 margin with four delegates not casting votes. The bill proposed a three-year series of raises, 2 percent in the first year followed by two 1 percent raises.

House of Delegates and Senate leaders called for teachers to accept the proposal, which would amount to a three-year, 4 percent raise, as opposed to 5 percent overall raises advanced by the House of Delegates on Feb. 13 in a plan initially backed by the Senate, and called on them not to stage a statewide walkout beginning Thursday.

The measure passed the Senate 27-6 Tuesday evening and was sent back to the House, which passed the bill at 8:53 p..m., sending the plan to Gov. Jim Justice to sign.

In a statement Tuesday, Justice urged teachers, school service personnel and other state employees to accept the pay plan.

The bill would be effective July 1.

However, a teachers’ representative said teachers are still standing fast at asking for a 5 percent salary increase the first year, raising the likelihood state teachers will go through with a planned “work action” on Thursday and Friday. Teachers have previously said that prior 1 and 2 percent increases were not enough.

Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association, said the Legislature’s proposed 4 percent pay raise is not enough.

“It really does nothing – we lost a percent,” Lee said. “All it will do is infuriate teachers and service personnel, and it won’t alleviate the actions on Thursday.”

Wendy Bird, president of the Berkeley County Education Association, also expressed dissatisfaction with Legislature’s approved bill.

“We’re not going to settle,” she said via phone interview with The Journal Tuesday evening shortly after the House vote. “We’re going backward now.”

Bird, who is also a fourth-grade teacher in Berkeley County, said teachers are still planning a walkout Thursday and Friday.

Some teachers from the Eastern Panhandle are planning to travel to Charleston to demonstrate at the Capitol. Others will participate in events in the area.

Jefferson County announced Monday that school will be closed Thursday and Friday in anticipation of the walkout.

In terms of the Public Employee Insurance Agency, Bird said teachers want the Legislature to form a board to oversee it and monitor funding.

Senate President Mitch Carmichael said it is unlikely the Senate would be able to go above 2 percent this year, according to Gazette-Mail reports.

The West Virginia Senate Rules Committee had approved an amendment to the House’s amendment to Senate Bill 267 Tuesday affecting the salary raises for teachers and some other state employees.

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