Trillbilly Worker's Party - Bonus Episode: Voices from the West Virginia Teachers Strike

Episode Date: March 1, 2018

Special Trillbillies West Virginia correspondent and folklorist Emily Hilliard and Jacobin Magazine contributor Cathy Kunkel got some great interviews with striking teachers in West Virginia, and so we present them to you here as a demonstration of what organized labor and direct action looks like in the Mountain State.

Hello, Trillbillies! This is a special bonus episode. As I'm sure you've seen on the news, or at least on Twitter, last Thursday, February 22nd, teachers from all 55 counties in West Virginia made the decision to strike by walking off of their jobs. The strike was the first such strike in almost 30 years, and it was called in response to issues like low pay and a lack of a solution to the dubiously funded Public Employees Insurance Agency, the PEIA. It was announced on Tuesday that a deal had been made with the teachers unions by

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, whereby teachers would get a 5% pay increase. But the union rank and file bravely refused the deal, arguing that their issues with the PEIA still had not been addressed, and so last night they made the decision to again call off schools in all 55 counties around the state and resume the strike. Throughout this, striking teachers rallied in the West Virginia capital of Charleston, where they gave speeches and displayed all manners of wonderful signs and banners and messages of solidarity.

Special Trillbillies West Virginia correspondent and folklorist Emily Hilliard was there, along with Jacobin Magazine contributor Kathy Kunkel, and they got some wonderful interviews with teachers at these rallies. So we'd like to present them to you here as a little slice of what direct action and organized labor looks like in the Mountain States. Could you tell me your name, your county, your school, and why you're here today? Could you tell me your name, your county, your school, and why you're here today? My name is Rachel Copley. I am a teacher at Cross Lanes Elementary School. I teach preschool special needs.

And I am a mom of children in Putnam County Schools. And I am just here today for the most part because of the future of education in West Virginia. It's time for us to take a stand because vacancies aren't being filled. They're lowering standards, which is not good for our children. I personally know of people whose children have taken courses in high school that they did not get credit for because there was not a certified teacher taking that class. They took class for a year and then it didn't count. That is not okay. My children are young and my

husband's a firefighter and we are vested here. I can't just get up and leave and go somewhere else with my family. It would not be financially feasible. So I'm just here standing for better benefits that were promised to us. It's not something that we're trying to make up now. It's been a long time coming that they've needed to fund this pay is terrible and we just want better for our kids thank you how about you my name is rhonda smith i'm from cross lanes elementary as well i teach fourth grade and i'm here for the same reason she is to support a pay raise and to fully fund PEIA and I'm also I've been here

every day I'm going to come here every day for the teachers that are in that are far away in the northern panhandle the eastern panhandle I want to be here because I know some of them would like to be here and can't so I'm going to be their voice could you tell me your name school and County I'm Erin Bush I'm going to be their voice. Could you tell me your name, school, and county? I'm Erin Bush. I'm at Sutton Elementary School in Braxton County. And why are you here today? Really just support for all this. I mean, initially it was our premiums going up,

and I already work a second job to pay for things, and then I found out that I was basically going to get cancelled out when they started looking at my second job so I already worked pretty hard to stay above the water and started looking like we were gonna drown I guess. How long do you think you'll be out here any idea? If I had to like put money on it I'd say till next week sometime I mean it's it's definitely been brought up a solution has been brought up but they keep pushing aside they don't want to talk about it it seems like if they want us in the classrooms they would at least entertain the idea of think like talking about it but they keep pushing it aside and I also feel like if there

was no solution like they keep saying there is then why do we have all this legislative support that we do have out here with us so what's what's the solution you're referring to um the big energy corporations I mean taxing the the oil that's kind of lying in their pockets right now you know giving it to the people instead of the corporation. Anything else you want to add? Oh, no, just stay strong. Thank you. Thank you. Have a good day.

You too. Could you tell me your name, county, and school? Sure, J. O'Neill, Kanawha County, Stonewall Jackson Middle School. Why are you out here today i just want to be part of this um we want to send a message to our legislators and our governor that enough is enough so i'm here to be here like physically you know occupying space and just showing them that hey we haven't forgotten and we're going to be here as long as it takes uh how do these issues affect you? I'll give you an example. Last year, not this school year, but last year, I opened up my paycheck in the fall, you know, normally expecting it to be

slightly higher than the year before. And it was actually less because I got bumped up into another PEIA bracket and I remember just thinking like this is crazy like who does this job we're actually making less money every year right you know and our salary steps don't keep up with inflation and with the cuts every year it's just it's maddening you just think I cannot keep doing this and literally be making less money. Could you tell me your name, county, and school? Yeah Kim Jones, Cabell County, Southside Elementary. Why are you out here today? I'm out here because it's been a long time it's been a really long time and people have been suffering for a long time and not able to meet their own needs. And, you know, it's hard to go into a school and try to take care of children and meet all of their needs, especially in this climate.

I mean, you wouldn't believe the things that we see in the schools. I mean, it's tragic, the conditions that poverty has caused, the drug epidemic. But we have just been going so long without getting a raise that will meet a sustainable raise, a sustainable wage. And it's just been going on too long. That's what it is. We've just been deprived for so long and living in subsistence for so long. If we're lucky, we're living in subsistence. So that's kind of why it just kind of built up. we're living in subsistence so that's kind of why it just kind of built up you were talking about being excited that uh umwa guys were out could you talk a little bit about that yeah it was very exciting like yesterday i wasn't here for the rally but it was really thrilling to see those

guys come out they know how to do it you know my mom um was an organizer for the AFT years ago, 70s and the 80s, but people my age don't really know how to do that. It's very cool to have the people that do know how to have the demonstrations, to fund the demonstrations, like Bud was talking about a strike fund, if it would go that long. I mean, these are the folks that know how to do it, and we need people to teach us how to be effective. Okay, could you tell me your name, your county, and your local? Yes, my name is Butch Herndon. My local is 750 United Mine Workers, and I live in St. Albans, West Virginia. Why are you out here today?

To support these union brothers and sisters. And how do you see this strike progressing compared to what you've... I believe if they hold out and stick together, they'll eventually get what they want. They're close to it. Have you been part of UMWA or other strikes in the past? Yeah, I've been to Washington for rallies. I've been to Lexington, Kentucky. I stood on a picket line on Hughes Creek in Eastern Kanawha County for seven months, from in 2004 up into 2005. That was for benefits and retirement and all.

Thank you so much. No, you're welcome. I'm Angela and I teach in Kanawha County. Could you tell us why you're out here today? I'm out here because I'm fighting for good quality teachers to stay in West Virginia. I'm a transplant and the the majority of people that came down here with me all of them are gone actually. I'm the only one. Are you from Ohio? I'm from New York. Why did they all leave? They all came and got their experience right out of college, and then they went home to jobs that pay substantially better, like $15,000 more a year. What has kept you here? I met a nice man, and he is dying to move, but I really like being close to one of our families, and he won't move to New York.

My name is Laura, and I'm in Kanawha County. I'm not in any specific school. Why are you out here today? Well, several reasons. One is PEIA, of course. The increase that is being suggested is three times as much as what we're paying now. is three times as much as what we're paying now. Understandably, we're number 48th in the country in pay, so if we're paying that much more in PIA for insurance, we obviously can't make a living with those kind of wages.

So they're both synonymous together as far as with the salaries. We're, again, 48th in the country, so it's only right for us to be paid as professionals. Do you have other questions? Any idea how long you'll be out here? Right now we are 55 strong. So hopefully when the times get scary is when they're going to open the schools back up, and that's when people's paychecks will be affected. So hopefully we can stay strong.

In 1990, they stayed out for 11 days, and they didn't have the support that we seem to be having right now. So hopefully we can go as long as they did and longer if we have to. Could you tell me your name, your county, and your school? Pam Hornbeck, Wood County, Hamilton Middle School. Why are you out here today? I'm tired of not getting a raise and PEIA goes up every year and it just makes it more difficult to be able to afford to even go to the doctor or get my prescriptions or anything. So it's really just unbelievable.

Instead of my pay going up, it's going down. How long have you been in schools? 19 years. How long have you been in schools? 19 years. So I've got some time in there. Not as much as others, but I've got some time in there. Could you tell me your name, county, and school? Yes, my name is Katrina Kirk. I teach in Boone County at Sherman Elementary School. What grade do you teach?

I'm a special education teacher, so I have a mix of first, second, third, and fifth graders in my classroom. Why are you out here today? special education teacher so I have a mix of first, second, third, and fifth graders in my classroom. Why are you out here today? I'm out here to support myself, my fellow teachers. My husband is a teacher also so it affects my entire household. I want them to find the funding source. Well they don't need to find it they just need to put it in place to fix our insurance and PIA. It's not necessarily about a pay raise. If they would fix our insurance, then we wouldn't need a pay raise. So what's the funding source you think they should put in place for PEIA?

I believe that they could fund the natural gas that's coming out of our state. It's ours, so we need to use that to support the people that work, the working class citizens of our state. Would you mind telling us your county and school? Boone County, Sherman Elementary. And why are you out here today? Because we need highly qualified teachers in the classroom. I don't feel that the legislature or our governor has our best interest at heart right now so it's time for the teachers to take a stand and make a change

anything else dad I hope they come to a solution quickly thank you so much could you tell me your County in your school Boone County Whitesville Elementary and why are you out here today? I'm here to support the idea that they need to fund PEIA as well as if they could just basically fund PEIA then we wouldn't even need a raise because there's some people that just having not having that insurance pay enough would bump their income their household income so there's no need to even give us a pay raise if they would just fund PEIA and I understand that's kind of hard to figure out, but I know that there is a way if they would just like look through all the means, and in regards to certified teachers, I went

through four years of education, and that was fun, and it taught you a lot about how to deal with kids and students with special needs that you not just in the special education classroom but just in general like they don't all learn the same and my first year which is now stepping into the classroom I'm terrified and I feel like I know nothing but yet again I've been trained for four years so I couldn't imagine one who's never been trained going into a classroom with students like I have all the I have the book smarts and like the terminology for everything but when you come face to face with a student who really just doesn't understand it to be able to grasp that knowledge and how you are able to teach the content in a

way that they can understand it that's something that takes years of experience and being taught in educational philosophy and everything. So I just don't think it's the best thing to have teachers that are not or people in the public coming into the classrooms that don't know how to teach teach. Now, could they get on some sort of trained program, like a permit almost? That would be better than just letting them come in the classroom. Thank you so much. Could you tell me your name and what county you're from and what union you're

from? I'm from Kanoa County. My name is Rick Glover. I'm from Cabin Creek, Charleston area. And why are you here today? Well, I'm here just because I believe in what the teachers want. I think that legislators has showed all disrespect to workers and it's just not the teachers now it's becoming more

dominant with disrespect to workers and they're extremely pro-business or nothing wrong with being business, but they have forgot the people who makes this state and things happen. Are you a UMWA member? Yes, I'm a UMWA member. I'm from local 8843. That's Kanawha County? Yes, ma'am.

Well, you just look how arrogant the Senate president is. There's no use for somebody to be that arrogant with just, you know, just. And our whole leadership of our state, even on the national level, has forgot about workers. But, yeah, I mean, just look at the leadership of our state and even on the national level. And labor only asks for just a piece of the pie. They're not asking for the whole pie. And you think about the teachers, the money they spend for the education, the things they do for their own, on their own, for our children.

Take it on their own. And then they want to cut their health care. I mean, I know now they've got it froze, but they want to go by their annual income to the whole family. And then you think about the money that they make and then all the schooling they have to go through. That's not right. And as a lot of them said, we've been pretty much 50th in wages.

And when you look at West Virginia, now, let's stop and think. We've got the timber. We've got the natural gas. We've got coal. We've got water. We've got tourism. We could be the Colorado of the East

if it was managed, but it is not. And we pay some of the highest taxes. Just think, I mean, people should think about that. Could you tell me your names and what school and county you're from? Yeah. My name is Cecilia and I am from Putnam County. I go to Polka High School. My name is Jenna and I go to Polka High School. Polkadots. Yeah. Could you tell me why you're here today? My mom's a teacher, so I'm standing strong with her and I just feel like we should always support our teachers

because they're like making our future well I'm here because all of my teachers are my biggest supporters and I think we should support them also thank you guys so much all right could you tell me your name and what county and school you're from my name is Emily Eskew and I'm from Kanawha County I teach fourth grade at All right, could you tell me your name and what county and school you're from? My name is Emily Eskew, and I'm from Kanawha County. I teach fourth grade at Marmette Elementary. Basically, what this means to me is more about the respect for the profession because here we are, 48th, paid in the country, actually, and there's no incentive to stay here and as a

young educator that's something that we need to have because we have all these vacancies and nobody wants to say our legislate our legislature doesn't respect us and in turn that makes the public not respect us and you see all these comments about us being babysitters or we don't do anything and you know it's ridiculous because I see so many things good and bad in the classroom and I just feel like we need to really take a look and reevaluate our perspective on education and how we view it and I feel like it needs to be like one of our top priorities because if our kids aren't learning, we have no future. So that's just my spiel on it. That's great. Thank you so much. Okay, could you tell me your name and what school and county you're from? My name is Kelly Punzalon and I work at Barbersville Middle School in Cabell County.

And why are you here today? I am here because I'm very concerned about my PEIA benefits and the way that they have increased my premiums and my deductibles and I'm also here because I believe we deserve a higher pay raise. Okay could you tell me your name and county and school? My name is John Connor I am a special education teacher in the high school at Pendleton County. And why are you here today? I'm here to lend a voice to those that can't have a voice on these important issues, especially with regards to the PEIA and the broken funding that's there, the need for a permanent fix on PEIA, and absolutely about competitive pay.

I know folks are going to be hearing that teachers are just asking for more money. It's not that. We've got to get the pay scale in West Virginia competitive so we stop losing our talented teacher pool to our surrounding states. Thank you so much. Could you tell me your name, county, and school? My name is Andrea Martin and I'm a teacher in Fayette County, a parent in Raleigh County. And why are you here today? Trying to get something done about our insurance and our pay. So, no, I'm here to try to get something done about the insurance, the insurance and the pay.

I would just be happy if my pay increase was enough to cover my premium increase. I'm not asking for much. Could you tell me your name, county, and school? Kelly Douglas, Kanawha County, Overbook Elementary School. What do you teach? First grade. And could you tell me why you're here today? Because I feel like for a lot of years, West Virginia teachers have been pushed to the side. And it's not right. We are with the children of the future for predominantly most of their lives. We care for them. We give them food. We give them shelter.

We give them love. And West Virginia has been looking down on us for some reason for trying to care for their children and I don't think it's fair for us. We deserve more respect. We deserve more fair treatment and we deserve the love that we give to kids every single day. Thank you so much. My name is Kelly Angle and I am from Spring Hill Elementary in Cabell County. And could you tell me why you're here today? Well, I am a teacher of 25 years, and I am here not just for myself, but to support all teachers and state employees, also my own children. I have a daughter that's in education that's about to graduate,

and I know this is going to determine her future. And my son is a type 1 diabetic and we are already eaten up with costs for his supplies and things so we need a big change with our insurance okay could you tell me your name County in school okay name, okay. Naaman County? Terry Board, Jackson County, West Virginia. And why are you here today? To support the teachers and also for our PIA. I'm a state employee, and we don't make very much. And if they raise it, I mean, I literally, if I wasn't married,

could apply and get food stamps because of our pay. But it's also to support my teacher our teachers unions everybody that's my main objective just everybody thank you so much this is sad but since your best friend I can you know what she 23 plus years as a full-time state employee, plus she had three years temp service before she got hired on full-time. She grossed $23,000 last year, and they raised her insurance. Now, that is sad.

A 23-year-old loyal, 23 years of loyal employee. Not only that, what they've done to the PEIA, this raise is just a slap in the face is what it is. They don't care about us. All they care is their personal agendas and pushing them through behind closed doors. We had Republicans that were siding with us. They recessed, took them in the back room, and when they came out, they voted with their party. I mean, it's sad. It's sad.

And what they've done with the right to work and repealing prevailing wage. You know, I went out on a job last week. And, see, I've been working pipeline and they gave me a raise on the pipeline. I went out on a job on a road job last week and I took a dollar fifty cut and the company didn't have to pay in my annuity. You know why? Because of no prevailing wage. And that's ridiculous. It's sad. It's sad. And what county are you from? Jackson County, baby.

What's your name? Carmichael is from Jackson County and we don't even vote for him. You know, my name's Paula Pronte, and I'm in the Laborers Union Local 1085. Thank you so much. Hi, I'm Beverly Hartley, Jackson County. I'm president of the AFT Local in Jackson County. And could you tell me why you're here today? You know, it's hard to believe for a lot of people,

but the truth is this is not about the money and the PEIA for the teachers we already have. This is more about taking care of the children in the future. I want my grandchildren and their children to be taught by certified teachers. And the way it is now, there's no reason for teachers to stay in West Virginia because they can just cross the border and make so much more. And therefore, we're dumbing down our system of education. And how

is West Virginia going to survive that? They say that they need to invest in the future by breaking all these deals with these natural resources people, the gas companies, the oil companies, all of that. They say that that's how they're going to build West Virginia's futures. They can't be more wrong. They can't be more wrong, They can't be more wrong. Because where are the engineers going to come from for those companies? Forty-five percent of all of the math teachers, grades 7 through 11,

are not certified in math. I mean, there's a statistic for you. And still, West Virginia invested two million dollars last year in a golf tournament at the Greenbrier I'm sorry that is not appropriate that is not helping our state we invest all of this money in all of these prime interests of our legislators because basically my feeling is that they really do not care about West Virginians. I don't believe they care about West Virginians at all. I think they care about big business and the money they can line their pockets with. Thank you so much. Thank you.