News

AFT-WV members from all over the state traveled to Charleston on April 1st to attend a rally in support of the United Mine Workers of America battle to save health care benefits for  their retirees.

(Right: Landon Wood, 9, of Charleston, chose the rally over soccer camp during his break because "it was the right thing to do." )

Govenor Tomblin, Sen. Rockefeller, Sen. Joe Manchin

Attention AFT-WV members...we need your help! Contact Pioneer WV Federal Credit Union and tell them to hire WV workers!

Pioneer WV Federal Credit Union has long described itself as a “community-based” credit union, so it’s pretty shocking that they’ve hired workers from Millersburg, Ohio to build a $1 million new branch in Teays Valley, WV.

Everyone knows someone in the Kanawha Valley who is looking for a good paying job. Local construction workers are skilled and drug free. They’re our friends, neighbors and the parents of the students we teach.

Hiring local workers benefits our local economy

Want to see more photos from the Legislative Roundtable? Check out AFT-WV's Flickr site, accessible from the Flickr module at the bottom right of the AFT-WV homepage.

The AFT-WV Legislative Roundtable, held Feb. 5th in Fairmont, was a huge success. Ten legislators were among the fifty people in attendance who braved winter weather to discuss education issues and the upcoming legislative session.

AFT members from eight counties were represented as well as professors from Fairmont State University and WVSSPA leaders from Marion and Monongalia counties. The event was covered extensively by local news media, and was the lead story on the front page of the Times West Virginian newspaper. More photos and tv news coverage can be viewed on AFT-WV's facebook page!

Great AFL-CIO article about the first year of Reconnecting McDowell!

Read AFT-WV's response to the Education Audit, and also some of the audit recommendations of the WV Board of Education. 

AFT-WV encourages all teachers, school service personnel and parents to respond to the WVBOE's audit recommendations at http://wvde.state.wv.us/policies/audit-response.html.

(Charleston, WV) - During the past few weeks, AFT-WV locals across the state have participated in the Hoodies for Hope campaign. Hoodies for Hope is an AFT-WV effort to collect new hoodies to send to union brothers and sisters affected by Hurricane Sandy.  In addition to collection efforts by the state AFT office, many county AFT-WV chapters have been collecting hoodies to send to their northern colleagues- particularly those in New Jersey- where the national AFT has identified numerous families in need.

On December 14th at the AFT-WV headquarters, AFT-WV leaders and staff (photo above)

 Charleston, WV – At today’s PEIA Finance Board meeting, employees were saved from the benefit cuts that were proposed for the next fiscal year. Only moments prior to the meeting, Governor Tomblin committed an additional $4 million to prevent these benefit reductions, which included huge increases on specialty drugs and additional out of pocket costs, penalizing the sickest and most vulnerable people in the plan. Despite this funding from the Governor, the PEIA director suggested keeping the proposed changes in specialty drugs, which would have increased co-pays from $50 to $85 on each

Tens of thousands of AFT members were personally and professionally affected by Superstorm Sandy, which devastated the northeastern seaboard of the US. In challenging times like these, the solidarity and support of the labor movement shines through.

From the beginning, the national AFT has been assisting in disaster relief efforts by donating and soliciting funds and lending volunteer support. Now it’s time for AFT-West Virginia members to help our union brothers and sisters in New Jersey and New York by participating in Hoodies for Hope, a hurricane relief campaign sponsored by AFT-West