AFT meets with local legislators

Jan. 04--FAIRMONT -- On Wednesday night, members of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) held a conference at the Disability Action Center, where they voiced their concerns with district and state legislators.

The AFT organized the annual meeting in the wake of the upcoming West Virginia Legislative Summit where lawmakers will vote on an agenda for the coming year.

"It was mainly to invite our legislators here to hear our concerns about the upcoming session, to get input from them and plus give them our professional opinions on where education should go in West Virginia," Sam Brunett, president of the AFT in Monongalia County, said after the meeting.

During the discussion, the federation mentioned six priorities it would like the lawmakers to address in the legislative session, including concerns about both faculty and students.

Brunett and president of the Marion County AFT, Stacey Strawderman, brought up issues with teachers' salaries, working conditions and benefits, as well as issues with subjects of education for students and quality of education.

Brunett said the federation has normally cooperated well with the legislators, who have themselves witnessed these issues on a local level.

"Education is probably the most important thing this country has to offer. It is the foundation of this country. I see right now that the state of West Virginia is behind about 750 certified teachers, who go into the classroom to teach our children. We lose those teachers, we're doing a disservice to our state and our country. So I think what we're getting out of here is salary levels have to be comparable to what the surrounding states are, what the average of the nation is, and we've got to bring those salaries up to bring the best and brightest to go into education," Sen. Roman Prezioso, D-Marion, said after the meeting.

"I'm in the minority now, some of those ideas of course if I like them I'll support them and if I don't I'll oppose them but I want to do what's right for Marion County," Representative of the 43rd District of the West Virginia House of Delegates Mike Caputo, D-Marion, said. "They haven't had a pay raise for years, their insurance premiums went up, their co-pays went up while their salaries have not, so they have some legitimate concerns."

"I think they're concerned about the pay and the benefits, the pay and the retirement, they're concerned about all that. I mean lots of programs are getting cut and everyone's getting cut and it is a real problem," Representative of the 50th District of the West Virginia House of Delegates Guy Ward, R-Marion, said.

Email Eddie Trizzino at etrizzino@timeswv.com and follow him on Twitter at @eddietimeswv.

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