Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 18, 1990 TAG: 9003182395
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLESTON, W.VA. LENGTH: Medium
The agreement came after House Speaker Chuck Chambers and Senate President Keith Burdette said they would recommend that Gov. Gaston Caperton call a special legislative session to address teacher pay and long-term education needs.
The tentative settlement contained no promise of more money for teachers, who had faced increasing pressure to call off the strike. Several circuit courts had ruled it illegal and ordered teachers back to the classroom.
In addition, the state Supreme Court scheduled arguments for Tuesday on the legality of a statewide back-to-work order issued by a Kanawha County circuit judge.
The settlement was announced Saturday afternoon by presidents of the 16,000-member West Virginia Education Association and the 3,000-member West Virginia Federation of Teachers.
"This proposal and pending legal action are the reasons for WVFT's decision to ask teachers to end the strike and return to the classroom," said Bob Brown, president of the smaller union.
"We've moved education to the forefront so it just isn't something that you pay lip service to during elections," said Kayetta Meadows, president of the WVEA.
Under the agreement, if teachers return to work Monday, lawmakers and union leaders would begin work on a plan to improve the state's education system by improving pay, benefits and teaching conditions.
Once a plan is developed, it would be submitted to a special legislative session for approval before the start of the 1990-91 school year, Meadows said.
The walkout, which affected two-thirds of the state's 22,000 teachers, began March 7. Teachers, who received a 5 percent pay raise a month ago, said they wanted more money and lawmakers to address their benefits packages.
In earlier bargaining, the WVEA rejected Caperton's offer of a 5 percent pay raise, then rejected an offer for a special session, saying it was too vague. But on Saturday, the lawmakers' promise to seek a special session was accepted.
"Our state has been bitterly divided over this strike and the healing process must begin," Chambers and Burdette said in a joint statement issued Saturday.
The announcement of the agreement gave few details. Meadows said no agenda has been set for the unions' meetings with lawmakers and that no one has suggested how pay raises could be funded.
Under the agreement, teacher groups in each county will decide individually whether to return, Meadows and Brown said.
by CNB