West Virginia Senate approves small pay raise for teachers
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Before a gallery packed with teachers, West Virginia's Senate approved a bill Friday to give them annual pay raises of 1 percent over a four-year period, a move that both teachers and many senators said wasn't enough.
The bill passed on a 33-0 vote after a lengthy discussion. One senator was absent.
The bill, which amounts to raises of about $400 per year for teachers starting July 1, now heads to the House of Delegates.
The vote came as teachers from Logan, Mingo and Wyoming counties held a one-day walkout to rally at the Capitol seeking pay raises and better health benefits.
A day earlier, Senate Republicans cited fiscal concerns in rejecting attempts by Democrats for larger pay increases.