At their annual convention held at the Embassy Suites on November 15-16, 2024, the state chapter of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT-West Virginia) elected new leadership for their organization.

Kristie Skidmore, a 30-year veteran teacher from Randolph County, was elected president of the union. Skidmore has served as a member at large on the AFT-West Virginia Executive Board since 2017 and is the current president of AFT-Randolph County. Former President Fred Albert retired after a 6-year stint as president. 

Skidmore, elected to a 3-year term, begins the role immediately and will speak

The PEIA Finance Board met today and released the proposed plan for fiscal year 2026. This plan contains devastating increases in premiums, copays, deductibles and out of pocket costs for education and public employees. 

Here's an overview of what the proposal would mean for employees: 

• A 14% increase in premiums for active employees, 12% for retirees;
• A 40% increase in deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums for employees and non-Medicare retirees;
• An expected increase in the spousal surcharge from $149 to $350; and
• Other increases in copays – including therapy, ER, inpatient and pharmacy charges

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AFT-WV President Fred Albert reacted to the draft PEIA plan presented at this week's PEIA Finance Board meeting: 

“The proposed increases contained within the draft version of the PEIA fiscal plan for 2026 are simply unaffordable for teachers, service personnel and retirees. I don’t know any working family that can shoulder a 14% premium increase, a 40% increase in deductibles and increases in out of pocket costs and copays. At a time when our state’s elected leaders are touting surplus revenue and increasing the amount of money they reimburse providers at a cost of almost $75 million, our hard