AFT-WV President Responds to State of the State Address
Charleston - AFT-West Virginia President Fred Albert responded to Governor Jim Justice’s State of the State address:
While we are glad the Governor proposed a 5% pay increase for all education and state employees, we would like to see a larger increase so employees can truly realize a raise after the PEIA increases are taken into account.: Last year’s raise was also eaten up by huge PEIA increases, so unfortunately, our state isn’t truly moving the needle on attracting and retaining certified educators.
The 5% increases passed over the last few years have not even put a dent in the teacher shortage in West Virginia. At a time when elected officials are touting the companies seeking to locate and hire in West Virginia, it’s important to note that families will not relocate to our state unless they feel certain their children will have certified teachers in their classrooms and enough bus drivers to sufficiently transport them.
I sincerely hope that the legislature will address the teacher shortage in an impactful way, including considering a larger pay increase.