2018 teachers' strikes in the United States

2018 teachers' strikes in the United States
Date February 23, 2018 – present
Location United States
Caused by
Methods
Resulted in
  • Arizona: 20 percent pay raise[1]
  • Colorado: 2 percent pay raise; increased school spending[2]
  • Oklahoma: Increased school funding, teacher raises by $6,000, support staff raises by $1,250[3][4]
  • West Virginia: 5 percent pay raise[5]
Lead figures
Number
  • ~20,000 in Arizona
  • ~6,000 in Colorado
  • ~2,000 in North Carolina
  • ~10,000 in Oklahoma
  • ~10,000 in West Virginia

The 2018 education workers' strikes in the United States began on February 22, 2018, after local activists dragged the West Virginia state leadership of the West Virginia branches of the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association into holding a strike vote. The strike—which ended when teachers returned to their classrooms on March 7—inspired similar, statewide strikes in Oklahoma and Arizona. It also inspired smaller-scale protests by school staff in Kentucky, North Carolina, Colorado, and led to a school bus driver strike in Georgia. Additionally, around this time, adjunct professors at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia protested over pay.

Motivations for the strikes include low wages for teachers and support staff, inadequate school budgets, overcrowded classrooms, and other problems. The strikes varied in their levels of success, with West Virginia considered mostly successful, where Oklahoman teachers received relatively few concessions.

Origins and overview

Discussions of a strike in West Virginia began in early 2018. In the first week of February, teachers staged "walk-ins" at schools and some protested at the West Virginia Capitol.[6] The strike proved successful, and inspired those in other states to strike as well.[7]

In early April, Oklahoma became the second state to strike, making it the first time a teacher's strike was held in the state since 1990.[8] The strike lasted for 10 days, from April 2-12, after teacher salaries were increased by $6,000 and support staff salaries were increased by $1,250.[9]

In late April, teachers in Arizona and in Colorado went on strike. The Colorado strike began on April 27 and is currently ongoing.[10]

In May 2018, it was reported that teachers in North Carolina could be next to strike, making it the fifth state to have a teachers' strike.[11] This was due to the state being ranked 41st in the nation in salaries for teachers, and per pupil spending at negative 12 percent.[12] Further, it was reported that teachers in North Carolina have seen a five percent decrease in salaries since 2008. Furthermore, teachers hired after January 1, 2021, will not receive health benefits, along with teachers having to pay $10,000 per year in out of pocket health insurance.[13]

Because of a majority of the strikes being in predominantly Republican Party-controlled, conservative states,[14] the strikes have been referred to as the "Red State Revolt".[15][16][17] This has prompted several Republican politicians to concede to their demands, in the run-up to the 2018 mid-term elections.[18]

Demands

Universally, demands included raising pay.[19][20] In Oklahoma and West Virginia, respectively sources of oil and coal, demands included financing the increased spending on education through taxation focused on these industries.[21][22]

Strikes

Summary of strikes and protests by state

State Date started Status of protests Outcome
 Arizona April 26, 2018 Ended May 3, 2018
  • Statewide strike
  • 20% salary raise for teachers by 2020
  • 9% raise for teachers in 2018–19 school year
  • subsequent 5% raises for the next two years
  • Increased support staff salaries
 Colorado April 27, 2018 Ended May 12, 2018
  • Teachers strike in numerous counties
  • 2% salary increase
  • Education budget restored to pre-Recession levels
Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia April 19, 2018 Ended April 23, 2018
  • Bus drivers' strike in DeKalb County
  • Seven bus drivers fired
  • Ongoing collective bargaining between school district and bus drivers
 Kentucky April 2, 2018 Ongoing
 North Carolina May 16, 2018 Ongoing
 Oklahoma April 2, 2018 Ended April 12, 2018
  • Statewide teachers strike
  • $6,000 salary raise for teachers
  • $1,250 salary raise for support staff
  • Increased public school funding through tobacco tax
 Virginia February 28, 2018 Ended May 12, 2018
 West Virginia February 22, 2018 Ended March 7, 2018
  • Statewide strike
  • 5% pay raise for teachers

Major events

Arizona

Colorado

North Carolina

Oklahoma

West Virginia

See also

References

  1. ↑ Snow, Anita; Tang, Terry (May 3, 2018). "Arizona teachers end walkout after governor signs off on 20 percent raise". Chicago Tribune. tronc. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  2. ↑ Whaley, Monte (May 12, 2018). "Pueblo teachers reach tentative agreement with district for 2 percent pay hike". The Denver Post. Digital First Media. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
  3. ↑ Blanc, Eric (13 April 2018). "Red Oklahoma". Jacobin. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  4. ↑ Goldstein, Dana (12 April 2018). "Oklahoma Teachers End Walkout After Winning Raises and Additional Funding". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  5. ↑ Krieg, Gregory. "Is the West Virginia teachers' strike the future of American labor?" (6 March 2018). CNN. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  6. ↑ Delk, Josh (2 February 2018). "Hundreds of teachers hold walkout, protest in West Virginia". The Hill. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  7. ↑ Rios, Edwin (23 March 2018). "Educators Across the US Are Using the West Virginia Teachers' Strike to Inspire Their Own Battle Plans – Mother Jones". Mother Jones. Mother Jones. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  8. ↑ Cohen, Rachel (March 6, 2018). "TEACHER UNREST SPREADS TO OKLAHOMA, WHERE EDUCATORS ARE "DESPERATE FOR A SOLUTION"". The Intercept. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  9. ↑ "US: Arizona teachers vote for first-ever statewide strike". Al Jazeera. April 20, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Schools in Arizona and Colorado set to stay closed due to teacher strike". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. April 30, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  11. ↑ Elk, Mike (April 30, 2018). "North Carolina Teachers to Strike in May – Louisiana Teachers Could Follow – Georgia Bus Drivers Fired for Striking". paydayreport.com. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  12. ↑ Scott, Tamara (April 30, 2018). "Report: North Carolina ranks 37th in nation for teacher pay". WNCT-TV. Nexstar Media Group. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  13. ↑ Strauss, Valerie (May 1, 2018). "Could North Carolina's teachers be next to strike? Here's the mess they're in". washingtonpost.com. The Washington Post. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  14. ↑ Carlson, Deven (April 12, 2018). "Not just a 'red-state revolt': The story behind the Oklahoma teacher walkout". brookings.edu. Brookings Institution. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  15. ↑ Pearce, Matt (April 2, 2018). "Red-state revolt continues: Teachers strike in Oklahoma and protest in Kentucky". Los Angeles Times. tronc. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  16. ↑ Weir, Bill (April 26, 2018). "Arizona teachers walk out of their poorly equipped classrooms". CNN. Turner Broadcasting System. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  17. ↑ Jamieson, Dave; Waldron, Travis (April 7, 2018). "The Red-State Teacher Revolt Has Been Brewing For Decades". HuffPost. Oath Inc. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Teacher rebellion puts red-state Republicans on defensive". Chicago Tribune. tronc. April 3, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  19. ↑ Osberg, Molly (2 April 2018). "Oklahoma Is the Latest Red State Where Teachers Are Rising Up". Splinter. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  20. ↑ "We demand..." AEU. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  21. ↑ Jones, Sarah (2 March 2018). "The West Virginia Teachers' Strike Takes Aim at Coal and Gas". The New Republic. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  22. ↑ Blanc, Eric (11 April 2018). "The Oklahoma Strike Is At a Crossroads". Jacobin. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
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