
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 19, 1990                   TAG: 9003192596
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLESTON, W.VA.                                 LENGTH: Short

W.VA. TEACHERS VOTE TO END STRIKE

Striking teachers across West Virginia voted overwhelmingly to return to classrooms Monday, ending an 11-day walkout over pay and benefits, union officials said Sunday.

A day after their union leaders gained a promise of cooperation from legislators but no guarantees of pay increases, teachers in 42 counties embraced the settlement by large majorities.

"We feel really positive that most, if not all, of our teachers will be back to work," said Jackie Goodwin, a spokeswoman for the West Virginia Education Association.

But some county union leaders, noting ruefully that teachers were under increasing legal and economic pressure to return to work, warned that the state hasn't heard the last of them.

"We will be monitoring the legislative session to see that they do deal with education issues," said Taylor County Education Association President Debra Spadafore. "We voted to to go back, but we don't feel this matter is over."

The settlement does not specifically address teacher salaries, ranked 49th in the country, but calls for lawmakers and union leaders to work out a plan for improved pay and benefits.

by CNB