The ILWU Canada Supports BCTF

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The BC Teachers Federation has planned a mandated strike for three days starting on Monday, March 5, until Wednesday, March 7, 2012. The strike is in answer to the longstanding dispute with the BC Public School Employers’ Association, and the controversial bill that the legislature is slated to impose that contains a cooling off period and a net-zero mandate.

The media is perpetuating the notion that teachers are strictly after wage increases in this round of contract talks, but teachers cite more critical issues such as class size, contract stripping (with the net-zero mandate), special needs services and the “one strike and you’re out rule” in which teachers could be dismissed due to poor performance reviews or other incidents.

Furthermore, with the recent release of the budget, teachers are finding that the funding for education just doesn’t add up.

Other points of contention contributing to the escalated job action are the illegal stripping of bargaining rights by the BC Liberal government 10 years ago regarding class size and the number of special-needs students in classrooms.

With the prominence of government intervention in collective bargaining since the Conservatives took power in the last election, it seems legislated contracts have become the norm.

The ILWU Canada supports BC teachers in their job action and asks that they be able to exercise their full rights as organized labour through the democratic process of free, and full, collective bargaining.

For more information about the BC Teachers’ Federation and updates on the dispute and upcoming events, visit www.bctf.ca.

Also check the BC Federation of Labour’s website, www.bcfed.ca, for potential updates and rallies.

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Showing 3 comments
  • sue gran

    Thank you ILWU Canada. We teachers appreciate your public support!

  • Colleen

    The democratic principal of bargaining working conditions to improve services to the children we serve is a Canadian right. Thank you so much for your support. It is definitely a boost!

  • Charles

    Thank you ILWU. We’re not leftists, we’re where the righteous ought to be.