Last fall BC teachers walked out on a two-week illegal strike with strong backing from the public. As the deadline looms for completing negotiations on a new contract, teachers have voted 85% in favor of a another province wide strike unless the employers give them a significant salary increase.
Teachers are seeking a 24-per-cent salary increase over three years. The B.C. Public School Employers’ Association (the bargaining agent for the province) has offered an eight-per-cent wage hike over three years.
The BCTF points out that teachers have not kept up with…
Inflation – since 1995 they have fallen behind by 4%. The employer’s offer would have teachers falling even further behind inflation
Other professions – a nurse with a four-year degree starts at $49,344, while a teacher with a five-year degree starts at $38,400 in West Vancouver.
Other provinces – teachers in the Lower Mainland earn 20% less than their colleagues in Ottawa and Edmonton.
BCTF: Teachers back strong salary case with huge yes vote
Teachers across British Columbia have voted overwhelmingly to back their bargaining demand for a fair and competitive salary increase.
A total of 85.2 % of teachers voted yes in a province-wide strike vote conducted June 7 and 8, 2006. In all, 30,202 teachers cast a ballot, of whom 25,698 voted yes.
“This vote sends a strong message to the government and the employer that teachers are serious about their need for a significant salary increase,” said Jinny Sims, president of the BC Teachers’ Federation.
“Our salaries haven’t kept up with inflation, nor have they kept up with colleagues in other provinces. The finance minister’s own research showed that BC teachers are 20% behind Alberta and Ontario.”
Sims said the strong yes vote once again demonstrates that teachers are united behind their bargaining goals and ready to take action to achieve them.
“Last fall our members took a courageous stand to achieve improvements in students’ learning conditions and a significant salary increase,” she said. “We went back to work based on government’s assurances that they would deal with our concerns. To some extent, they have addressed the issues of class size and composition with Bill 33 but there has not been an adequate response to our need for a fair salary increase.”
The BCTF has tabled an opening position of 24% over three years, while the BC Public School Employers’ Association has offered 8% over four years. Many teachers consider that offer to be insulting because it does not keep up with inflation and widens the gap between teachers’ salaries in BC and other provinces.
The current contract, the second one to be imposed through legislation, will expire June 30, 2006. Sims emphasized that teachers will continue to seek solutions at the bargaining table.
“We are ready to work 24–7 to reach a negotiated settlement prior to June 30,” Sims said.
Contract negotiations between the teachers and the British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association are ongoing.
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