Teachers to decide on strike vote—
Discussion will centre on types of job action and their legality
Miro Cernetig
Vancouver Sun
Saturday, August 20, 2005
VICTORIA –British Columbia’s teachers will decide Monday night whether to take a strike vote in the weeks ahead and challenge the Liberal government’s view that education is an essential service and illegal to withhold.
High on the agenda when the leadership of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation meets at the University of British Columbia campus will also be defining what sort of service withdrawals could be legally taken in the event of a strike. Options being considered are teachers withdrawing from extracurricular activities or even going to a four-day week or rotating strikes in some districts.
“We would like to be doing this at the table through conversations and negotiations rather than other steps,” said Jinny Sims, the former social studies and English teacher who is president of the BCTF.
“Teachers have been doing and will be doing everything they can to avoid any disruptions,” said Sims. “But they (the public) have to know we’ve been without a contract for 15 months . . . . Teachers are frustrated.”
B.C. Education Minister Shirley Bond said the province’s 42,000 teachers do have the right to take a strike vote, a common pressure tactic by a union when negotiations stall. But she hopes the teachers will vote against taking job action.
“Even taking a strike vote is a concern,” added Bond. “It’s an alarming thing for parents and families in this province. I don’t want the beginning of the school year to be affected . . . . I think that would be unfortunate.”
There is little sign the government will be loosening the purse strings or caving into teachers’ demands that issues such as limits on class sizes be part of the negotiations. Bond said she remains committed to the government’s “zero, zero” policy regarding wage increases and that classroom sizes will not be part of any agreement.
If the teachers do decide to hold a strike vote it would be three weeks or more before it was actually carried out. If a strike mandate were given by teachers, job action might be delayed further or not happen at all.
Still, many observers believe teachers and the government are headed for a showdown.
“We like to be optimistic,” said Kim Howland, the president of the B.C. Confederation of Parents’ Advisory Councils. “But I think the reality is, knowing the history of bargaining with the BCTF, that we are definitely headed toward a strike or job action unless something miraculous happens. But I think parents are prepared for job action.”
However, she said, they won’t be happy.
But defining an essential service in education won’t be up to parents or the government. The final word will rest with the B.C. Labour Relations Board, which would be likely be called on to adjudicate if job action begins.
John Horgan, the NDP’s education critic, said people should understand that a move toward a strike vote would be a normal and predictable part of the bargaining process. But he said the Liberal government needs to “extend an olive branch” and meet with teachers to discuss concerns such as class size.
A chance to solve the impasse may come Aug. 31, when Sims is set too meet with Bond. But don’t expect a quick solution.
“This is not a substitute for bargaining at the table,” Bond said.
mcernetig@png.canwest.com
© The Vancouver Sun 2005
Teachers union to decide on strike vote
Canadian Press
Monday, August 22, 2005
VICTORIA — Education Minister Shirley Bond says for the sake of the kids, the B.C. Teachers Federation should stop talking about the possibility of a strike.
Union officials meet in Vancouver Monday night to discuss options and decide whether to take a strike vote.
Bond says even the thought of a strike vote is causing incredible uncertainty and concern for parents and students.
Teachers have been without a contract since June of last year.
Bond is urging them to return to bargaining, adding that virtually every other public service union and association has adhered to the Liberals’ wage controls.
Bond is to meet with the head of the teachers union Aug. 31.
© The Canadian Press 2005
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