2018–2019 education workers' strikes in the United States explained
2018–2019 teachers' strikes in the United States |
Date: | February 23, 2018 – June 7, 2019 |
Place: | United States |
Causes: |
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Methods: |
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Result: | - Arizona: 20 percent pay raise[1]
- Colorado: 2 percent pay raise; increased school spending[2]
- Los Angeles 6 percent pay raise, class size reduction, increased support staff[3] [4]
- Oklahoma: Increased school funding, teacher raises by $6,000, support staff raises by $1,250[5] [6]
- Virginia: 5 percent pay raise
- West Virginia: 5 percent pay raise[7]
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Howmany1: | - ~20,000 in Arizona
- ~6,000 in Colorado
- ~30,000 in Los Angeles
- ~30,000 in North Carolina
- ~10,000 in Oklahoma
- ~4,000 in Virginia
- ~10,000 in West Virginia
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Leadfigures1: |
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Leadfigures2: | - State and city governments:
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The 2018–2019 education workers' strikes in the United States began on February 22, 2018, after local activists compelled 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.
The strikes continued in the fall of 2018 when there was a collective bargaining shortcoming between the United Teachers Los Angeles union and the Los Angeles Unified School District in September 2018, prompting a strike that began in January 2019. This also resulted in a teachers' walkout in Virginia, a long-time right-to-work state, as well as in Denver and Oakland, California.[8] [9] The national wave of strikes has been referred to as Red for Ed or #RedForEd, with striking workers often wearing red shirts to show solidarity.[10] [11] Reasons given for the choice of the color red range from the fact that many of the initial strikes were in red (Republican-controlled) states to the idea that public school budgets are in the red.
Motivations for the strikes included desire for increased wages for teachers and support staff, larger school budgets, smaller classrooms, and other issues. The strikes varied in their levels of success, with the West Virginia strike 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.[12] The strike proved successful, and inspired those in other states to strike as well.[13]
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.[14] 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.[15]
In late April, teachers in Arizona and in Colorado went on strike. The Colorado strike began on April 27[16] and ended on May 12,[17] while the Arizona Strike lasted from April 26 to May 3.[18]
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.[19] This was due to the state being ranked 41st in the nation in salaries for teachers, and per pupil spending at negative 12 percent.[20] 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.[21]
Because of a majority of the strikes being in predominantly Republican Party-controlled, conservative states, the strikes have been referred to as the "Red State Revolt".[22] [23] [24] [25] [26] This has prompted several Republican politicians to concede to their demands, in the run-up to the 2018 mid-term elections.[27] [22]
Pension costs
One of the largest reasons for decreasing teacher pay and less funding for schools is the large amount of money diverted from current budgets to pay educators' unfunded pension liabilities.For example: "In Colorado, school district payments to the public pension fund have roughly doubled since 2006, from about 10 percent of payroll to 20 percent."
A 2016 study found that only 30% of the money that school districts pay towards the retirement benefits of an educator actually go toward that educator's pension, with 70% being used to pay off unfunded debt in that pension system.
Demands
Universally, demands included raising pay.[28] [29] 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.[30] [31]
Original reason for the strike included the state's plan to force teachers to use fitbit to be allowed to keep subscribing to the same healthplan or face a $500 annual fine.[32]
Strikes
Summary of strikes and protests by location
State | Location | Date started | Status of protests | Outcome |
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| Statewide | 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
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| Los Angeles | January 14, 2019 | Ended January 22, 2019 | - District-wide teachers strike
- 6% salary increase
- Reduction in class sizes
- Increase in support staff
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Oakland | February 21, 2019 | Ended February 28, 2019 | - District-wide teachers strike
- 11% salary increase over four years
- Reduction in class sizes
- Delay in school closures for 5 months
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Sacramento | April 11, 2019 | One-day strike | |
Union City | May 20, 2019 | Ended June 7, 2019 | |
| Statewide | April 27, 2018 | Ended May 12, 2018 | - Teachers strike in numerous counties
- 2% salary increase
- Education budget restored to pre-Recession levels
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Denver | February 11, 2019 | Ended February 14, 2019 | - District-wide teachers strike
- 7 to 11% salary increase
- Pay scale changes that increase emphasis on teacher training and experience
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Georgia | DeKalb County | 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
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| Statewide | April 2, 2018 | |
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| Statewide | May 16, 2018 | One-day strike |
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Statewide | May 1, 2019 | One-day strike | - Over half of school districts forced to close
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| Statewide | 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
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| Statewide | May 1, 2019 | One-day strike | - Over 10,000 at state capitol
- Several school districts forced to close
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| Nashville | May 3, 2019 | Negotiations ongoing. Metro Nashville Public Schools has requested increased funding. [33] |
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| Virginia Commonwealth University | February 28, 2018 | Ended May 12, 2018 |
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Statewide | January 28, 2019 | One-day strike |
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| Statewide | February 22, 2018 | Ended March 7, 2018 | - Statewide strike
- 5% pay raise for teachers
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Major events
Arizona
See main article: 2018 Arizona teachers' strike.
Colorado
See main article: 2018 Colorado teachers' strike.
Los Angeles
See main article: 2019 Los Angeles Unified School District teachers' strike.
North Carolina
See main article: 2018 North Carolina teachers' strike.
Oklahoma
See main article: 2018 Oklahoma teachers' strike.
West Virginia
See main article: 2018 West Virginia teachers' strike.
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Snow. Anita. Tang. Terry. Arizona teachers end walkout after governor signs off on 20 percent raise. Chicago Tribune. tronc. May 3, 2018. May 3, 2018. May 3, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180503190038/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-arizona-teacher-protests-20180503-story.html. live.
- Web site: Whaley. Monte. Pueblo teachers reach tentative agreement with district for 2 percent pay hike. The Denver Post. Digital First Media. May 13, 2018. May 12, 2018. May 11, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200511155955/https://www.denverpost.com/2018/05/12/pueblo-teacher-strike-is-over/. live.
- News: Blume . Howard . Kohli . Sonali . LAUSD teachers' strike ends. Teachers to return to classrooms Wednesday . 23 January 2019 . . 22 January 2019 . 22 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190122230438/https://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-edu-lausd-teachers-strike-negotiations-20190122-story.html . live .
- News: Weber . Christopher . Melley . Brian . Los Angeles Teachers Approve Contract, End Strike . 24 January 2019 . . . 22 January 2019 . 24 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190124152422/https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2019-01-22/firefighters-march-in-support-of-striking-la-teachers . live .
- Web site: Red Oklahoma. Blanc. Eric. 13 April 2018. Jacobin. 13 April 2018. 14 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180414010910/https://www.jacobinmag.com/2018/04/teachers-strikes-oklahoma-socialism-sanders-unions. live.
- Web site: Oklahoma Teachers End Walkout After Winning Raises and Additional Funding. Goldstein. Dana. 12 April 2018. The New York Times. 13 April 2018. 13 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180413164048/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/12/us/oklahoma-teachers-strike.html. live.
- News: Krieg. Gregory. Is the West Virginia teachers' strike the future of American labor?. 6 March 2018. 6 March 2018. CNN. 6 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180306000629/https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/05/politics/west-virginia-teachers-strike-future-unions/index.html. live.
- News: Campbell . Alexia Fernández . The Denver teachers strike is over. They won. . February 16, 2019 . . February 14, 2019 . February 15, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190215114835/https://www.vox.com/2019/2/14/18224848/denver-teachers-strike-over-deal . live .
- News: Oakland teachers go on strike, demand pay raises . March 10, 2019 . . . February 21, 2019 . March 10, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190310064557/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/oakland-teachers-go-strike-demand-pay-raises-n974151 . live .
- Web site: Nittle . Nadra . Here's Why So Many Striking Teachers Wear Red . . 15 May 2018 . 10 March 2019 . 28 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190428135835/https://www.racked.com/2018/5/15/17357550/teacher-strikes-wearing-red-solidarity . live .
- Web site: Jones . Sarah . Red for Ed Continues: Where Teachers' Strikes Are Set to Spread Next . . 7 February 2019 . 10 March 2019 . 18 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190318235054/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/02/red-for-ed-continues-where-teachers-are-set-to-strike-next.html . live .
- Web site: Hundreds of teachers hold walkout, protest in West Virginia. Delk. Josh. 2 February 2018. The Hill. 24 April 2018. 24 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180424202324/http://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/371989-hundreds-of-teachers-hold-walkout-protest-in-west-virgina. live.
- Web site: Educators Across the US Are Using the West Virginia Teachers' Strike to Inspire Their Own Battle Plans – Mother Jones. Rios. Edwin. 23 March 2018. Mother Jones. Mother Jones. 29 April 2018. 30 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180430045246/https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/03/educators-across-the-us-are-using-west-virginias-teachers-strike-to-inspire-their-own-battle-plans/. live.
- Web site: Teacher Unrest Spreads to Oklahoma, Where Educators are 'Desperate for a Solution'. Cohen. Rachel. March 6, 2018. The Intercept. April 6, 2018. April 5, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180405083254/https://theintercept.com/2018/03/06/oklahoma-teacher-strike-west-virginia/. live.
- Web site: US: Arizona teachers vote for first-ever statewide strike. April 20, 2018. Al Jazeera. April 20, 2018. April 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180420134330/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/arizona-teachers-vote-statewide-strike-180420075924512.html. live.
- Web site: Schools in Arizona and Colorado set to stay closed due to teacher strike. Reuters. Thomson Reuters. April 30, 2018. April 30, 2018. April 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180430205204/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-arizona-education/schools-in-arizona-and-colorado-set-to-stay-closed-due-to-teacher-strike-idUSKBN1I11MJ. live.
- Web site: Pueblo teachers reach tentative agreement with district for 2 percent pay hike. Denver Post. November 30, 2018. May 12, 2018. November 22, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181122191458/https://www.denverpost.com/2018/05/12/pueblo-teacher-strike-is-over/. live.
- Web site: Snow . Anita . Tang . Terry . Arizona teachers end walkout after governor signs off on 20 percent raise . Chicago Tribune . 3 May 2018 . 30 November 2018 . 30 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181130202309/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-arizona-teacher-protests-20180503-story.html . live .
- Web site: Elk. Mike. North Carolina Teachers to Strike in May – Louisiana Teachers Could Follow – Georgia Bus Drivers Fired for Striking. paydayreport.com. May 2, 2018. April 30, 2018. May 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180502211823/http://paydayreport.com/north-carolina-teachers-to-strike-in-may-louisiana-teachers-could-follow-georgia-bus-drivers-fired-for-striking/. live.
- Web site: Scott. Tamara. Report: North Carolina ranks 37th in nation for teacher pay. WNCT-TV. Nexstar Media Group. May 2, 2018. April 30, 2018. May 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180502063437/http://www.wnct.com/news/local-news/a-new-report-suggests-north-carolina-could-be-the-next-state-to-see-teacher-strikes/1151839964. live.
- News: Strauss. Valerie. Could North Carolina's teachers be next to strike? Here's the mess they're in.. The Washington Post. May 2, 2018. May 1, 2018. May 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180502193248/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2018/05/01/could-north-carolinas-teachers-be-next-to-strike-heres-the-mess-theyre-in/. live.
- Web site: Page . Susan . Nzanga . Merdie . Simon . Caroline . Even when teachers strike, Americans give them high grades, poll shows. Unions fare worse. . The Tennessean . 2018-09-12 . 2022-07-12.
- Web site: Pearce. Matt. Red-state revolt continues: Teachers strike in Oklahoma and protest in Kentucky. Los Angeles Times. May 2, 2018. April 2, 2018. April 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180430113738/http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-teachers-spending-20180402-story.html. live.
- Web site: Carlson. Deven. Not just a 'red-state revolt': The story behind the Oklahoma teacher walkout. brookings.edu. Brookings Institution. May 2, 2018. April 12, 2018. December 24, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191224195851/https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2018/04/12/oklahoma-teacher-walkouts-backstory/. live.
- Web site: Weir. Bill. Arizona teachers walk out of their poorly equipped classrooms. CNN. Turner Broadcasting System. May 2, 2018. April 26, 2018. November 7, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191107225537/https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/26/us/arizona-teacher-walkout-weir/index.html. live.
- Web site: Jamieson. Dave. Waldron. Travis. The Red-State Teacher Revolt Has Been Brewing For Decades. HuffPost. Oath Inc.. May 2, 2018. April 7, 2018. May 1, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180501072823/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/americas-growing-teacher-strikes-were-decades-in-the-making_us_5ac8f468e4b0337ad1e8979c. live.
- Web site: Teacher rebellion puts red-state Republicans on defensive. Chicago Tribune. tronc. May 2, 2018. April 3, 2018. May 1, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180501201032/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-oklahoma-teacher-strike-20180403-story.html. live.
- Web site: Oklahoma Is the Latest Red State Where Teachers Are Rising Up. Osberg. Molly. 2 April 2018. Splinter. 29 April 2018. 8 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180408030138/https://splinternews.com/oklahoma-is-the-latest-red-state-where-teachers-are-ris-1824260223. live.
- Web site: We demand.... AEU. 20 April 2018. 21 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180421031305/http://arizonaeducatorsunited.com/demands. live.
- Web site: The West Virginia Teachers' Strike Takes Aim at Coal and Gas. Jones. Sarah. 2 March 2018. The New Republic. 29 April 2018. 30 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180430050325/https://newrepublic.com/article/147266/west-virginia-teachers-strike-takes-aim-coal-gas. live.
- Web site: The Oklahoma Strike Is At a Crossroads. Blanc. Eric. 11 April 2018. Jacobin. 29 April 2018. 30 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180430050013/https://www.jacobinmag.com/2018/04/oklahoma-teacher-strike-education-funding. live.
- "Fahrenheit 11/9", documentary by M.Moore
- Web site: Some Metro Council members say they want more money for schools. The Tennessean. 2019-05-29. 2019-06-04. 2022-02-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20220203231302/https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2019/05/29/nashville-schools-teacher-pay-stagnant-metro-council-considering-mnps-raises/1263588001/. live.
- Web site: More than 1,400 Metro teachers hold sickout for better pay. Adams. Cameron Taylor, Alexandria. WSMV Nashville. en. 2019-05-03. 2019-05-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20190503160451/https://www.wsmv.com/news/more-than-metro-teachers-hold-sickout-for-better-pay/article_1d4cadf4-6d14-11e9-a692-175678d6b39b.html. live.
- Web site: About 1,000 Nashville teachers miss school again in pay dispute. CNN. 2019-05-06. 2019-06-04. 2019-06-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20190604023721/https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/06/us/nashville-teachers-sickout/index.html. live.
- Web site: Teachers protest for better schools funding. 2019-05-15. 2019-06-04. 2019-06-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20190604023722/https://www.wsmv.com/news/teachers-protest-for-better-schools-funding/article_6762d428-774f-11e9-8728-e73c6af2d564.html. live.