There was lots of activity on the picket line at University Hill Secondary school this morning. Jinny Sims (President of BCTF), Barry O’Neill (President of CUPE-BC), Winston Carter (President of Canadian Federation of Teachers) along with U HIll Secondary teachers and students, CUPE members from UBC and VSB, and UBC Faculty Association members were picketing.
Sims was interviewed by the media, along with other teachers and parents. Sims told picketers that the government’s agenda for the day was undermining labor solidarity and dividing teachers. Facing the imposition of fines on the BCTF for the so-called “illegal” strike, Sims said “if the government thinks the threat of fines scares us, they’re dreaming.”
There was a strong showing of solidarity by CUPE members on the line at U Hill. CUPE and other public and private sector unions clearly understand that the Liberal government’s attack on teachers, via Bill 12, which effectively strips teachers of their collective bargaining rights, is an attack on the rights of all workers in BC.
It is illegal. Let’s see whether Sims will surrender or not.