(CNN) West Virginia public school teachers will strike for an eighth day Monday because the state legislature didn't meet their demand for higher pay and better benefits over the weekend.

All 55 counties announced school closures for Monday. About 20,000 teachers walked out February 22, keeping almost 277,000 students out of class.

Union leaders say the teachers won't return to work until they get a 5% raise.

The pay raise remains in legislative limbo. At the state capitol in Charleston, a conference committee has been appointed to resolve the differences between the state Senate and House.

It's not known when the committee will meet, so it's possible the strike could stretch out for days.

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