Around the US, protesting teachers win concessions in some conservative states

An unexpected labor uprising has gripped some conservative states over the past two months as public school teachers have staged protests and strikes over low pay and strained education budgets.

And so far, the agitation has worked in some places, with Republican-led legislatures approving uncharacteristic tax increases and more money for schools in response to the public pressure.

Labor activism is nothing new to teachers. The profession is heavily unionized, and its major unions - the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association - are among the largest in the U.S.

But a renewed militancy has crept into the profession this