Charleston, WV (WOAY) Two unions with similar missions will band together to advocate for education in the mountain state.
According to a media release, the West Virginia Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers in West Virginia will merge to form Education West Virginia.
Delegates from both organizations approved the historic agreement during their respective assemblies on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at the Embassy Suites in Charleston, West Virginia.
“We are ushering in a new era for West Virginia educators,” said Kristie Skidmore, the current AFT-WV president. “While the challenges facing education have not changed since Saturday, our collective power has doubled, and we will now face the headwinds together.”
Current WVEA President Dale Lee stated, “We’ve been talking about a merger for a while now. Public education is at a crossroads, and we believe that as a unified voice, we can better represent the interests of our members and public schools.
Education West Virginia will begin operations on September 1, 2025, marking the official start of the merger. The WVEA and AFT will work together in the meantime.
