CHARLESTON, W.Va. - What critics call a union-busting provision in a huge, fast-moving education bill in the West Virginia Legislature has many saying it's revenge for last year's successful teachers' strike.

One part of omnibus Senate Bill 451 would make West Virginia teachers' unions get permission each year to deduct dues from every member's pay. So-called "paycheck protection" provisions have been used against labor unions in other states, but at the Capitol, Sissonville High School English teacher Katrina Minney said she's well aware that she's paying dues - and can stop the deduction at any time.

"So, I feel that it's insulting to me," she said. "I don't have to renew my health insurance every year, as an example; you know these are things they automatically are deducted, and I know what those are for. Believe me, if anything ever showed up on my check stub I didn't know what it was for, I would question that."

Senate President Mitch Carmichael said the 150-page bill is not an attack on the unions. The Jackson County Republican pointed to the pay raises in the package, and said it's needed to reform the state's under-performing public education system.

Gov. Jim Justice has said he objects to the paycheck provision and may veto the bill. However, Carmichael is pushing SB 451 through the Senate at near record speed for legislation of its size and complexity. The American Federation of Teachers in West Virginia opposes it, saying it would allow money to be taken from public schools for private schools, home schooling and newly permitted charter schools.

Bob Brown, a lobbyist for AFT, said the paycheck rule is designed to create a massive paperwork hassle for the unions and their 10,000 members.

"It's been the practice in West Virginia for well over 50 years that people can have not just union dues but money going to the credit union or money going to other charities taken out of their paycheck," he said. "This legislative proposal clearly is retaliation."

Carmichael's chances as a possible candidate for governor declined last year when the teachers' strike forced him and other Republican leaders to raise public employees' pay and put more money into their health insurance.

The text of SB 451 is online at wvlegislature.gov.


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More than 1,100 caregivers at Portland's Providence St. Vincent Medical Center have voted to unionize, joining the Service Employees International Union Local 49.

Hospital staffers, including certified nursing assistants, cooks, lab assistants, pharmacy techs, environmental workers and patient representatives, will soon begin collective bargaining with management over a new work contract.

Finn McCool, senior food service attendant at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, said changes to working conditions in the hospital were a major driver to organize.

"There's a lot that makes St. Vincent a great place to work, but we've also seen just tons of changes over the years around staffing and benefits," McCool explained. "My fellow caregivers really knew that jobs were only going to get harder."

The St. Vincent caregivers will join thousands of other unionized workers at Providence hospitals in Oregon, Washington state and other parts of the country. Providence officials released a statement, recognizing the union and saying they were prepared to work with it toward a new contract.

McCool noted the company made several changes to staffing and work policies without feedback from its employees, with changes to the employees' health care benefits causing a major upheaval.

"It's been a recent change to our health care plan with Aetna switching over, and that was probably a very large reason why a lot of us decided to vote yes," McCool pointed out. "We had our own internal health care system. We changed to a different thing. Co-pays changed. Things were definitely a lot harder with increased deductibles."

McCool stressed political uncertainty, particularly in the government's health care policies, was also a significant concern.

"We're seeing a lot of changes going on with the government with cuts, especially right now," McCool observed. "What threatens us is cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. Our CEO said, 'These cuts are threatening the hospital.'"

The multistate Providence Health System announced it will close the maternity center at one of its Montana hospitals in October.

Opponents are hoping the corporation will reverse its decision at negotiations starting next week. The Family Maternity Center at Missoula's Providence St. Patrick Hospital has delivered about 450 babies each year over the last several, and serves many people from the surrounding small towns.

Robin Haux, labor program director for the Montana Nurses Association, said the layoff notification came as a big surprise and will affect moms and babies, nurses and Missoula's other hospital.

"Not only were the nurses provided just a four-month turnaround, so was the community, so was Community Medical Center," Haux explained. "This has triggered a pretty large scrambling of trying to get prepared."

The cut comes as U.S. lawmakers close in on the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," the Republican budget megabill proposing cuts to Medicaid which could close rural hospitals. Providence said the closure is due to "declining birth volumes" and "workforce shortages."

Megan Carey, labor and delivery nurse in the Family Maternity Center at Providence St. Patrick Hospital, said no one from the Family Maternity Center was included in the decision.

"We were told there was a discernment team as well as external stakeholders," Carey pointed out. "It's just really disappointing that administration could not look inward to better go about this process."

Carey added Providence sent what she calls an "unsettling" message informing nurses they could apply to work in other departments at St. Patrick Hospital but there would not be enough jobs for them all.


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As more women enter the construction industry, a group in Philadelphia is working to support them and advance diversity amid political challenges to DEI programs.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a nearly 45% increase in women in construction over the past decade.

Amy Novak, president of the Philadelphia chapter of Professional Women in Construction, said recent federal actions against DEI initiatives have prompted the relaunch of their empowering committee, which focuses on development and educational sessions.

"We choose to focus on empowering women to solve issues, be a part of the resolution of issues," Novak explained. "And also to feel supported, to be an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion programs."

The Biden administration implemented widespread diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across nearly all areas of the federal government from military operations to airline safety policies. Critics argued the programs amount to unlawful and unethical discrimination.

Novak said a recent Professional Women in Construction report showed strong support for diversity, equity and inclusion among those involved with the group. She added her group is committed to growing the talent pipeline in construction, architecture and engineering from trades to professional roles by expanding partnerships that boost early STEM interest, starting in middle school.

"We have our Connecting Committee, which goes out and regularly interacts at college campuses," Novak pointed out. "Not just to women who are in engineering, architecture, construction majors, but those majors as a whole, educating them about different careers within construction."

Novak stressed the goal is to expand into high schools next year, to reach students as they start making career decisions. She added the group's Student Recognition Program, launched in 2020, highlights young women pursuing careers in STEM and construction, aiming to inspire younger girls and strengthen the future talent pipeline.


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