B.C. teachers rally in Vancouver amid strike

by Stephen Thomson on Mar 7, 2012 at 4:52 pm
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Teachers rallied at the Vancouver Art Gallery on the third day of a walkout.
Stephen Thomson

A sea of cheering and placard-waving B.C. teachers capped off three days of striking this week with a rally in Vancouver.

The energetic crowd filled the plaza at the Vancouver Art Gallery today (March 7) and expressed opposition to provincial back-to-work legislation.

Bill 22 would suspend legal strike action by teachers and appoint a mediator in an effort to resolve the contract dispute.

B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Susan Lambert said the proposed legislation would take away bargaining rights and impose “mock mediation”.

“The people of B.C. demand from their government that it respects the work that teachers do. It demands that the B.C. government respects and values public education,” Lambert told the rally.

“They want this dispute to be resolved respectfully, with dignity, [and] at the table with a fair, negotiated deal with teachers.”

Education Minister George Abbott has defended Bill 22 as a reasonable response to the labour unrest that will allow for a “cooling off” period.

Lambert has told media that teachers will return to the classroom on Thursday after they walked off the job on Monday. Limited job action launched last fall is expected to continue.

Under a recent Labour Relations Board ruling, teachers will still have the right to fully withdraw services on one day a week, with notice, in coming weeks.

Today’s rally in Vancouver followed a demonstration by teachers yesterday outside the legislature in Victoria.

Comments (4) Add New Comment
Dianne
Mar 7, 2012 at 6:06 pm
BRAVO to all the teachers standing up for what they believe our BC public education students deserve and need and for highlighting all the cuts that are impacting on our children/youth and shortchanging their education.

Shame on the BC government for NOT allowing fair bargaining and for refusing to appoint a REAL mediator to sit at the table with the 'parties' to resolve the whole contract.


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ds
Mar 7, 2012 at 10:11 pm
All the luck in the world to the teachers. I think the public should set up a commitee to look at the wages and pensions these MP make and after the job they've done in the last few years roll their wages and pensions back to something a bit more in line with these tough times. I'll bet they'd be screaming.
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Not happy
Mar 9, 2012 at 12:00 am
Teachers are very fortunate to have good steady and stable job with well packaged benefits, it seems selfish to request for more money; where others within this province are struggling to meet their basic food and shelter necessities from their minimal earnings. Factories and plants are closing due to current dire economy, our taxes and fundings should go to the unemployed and the people who want to work? If the teachers' are experiencing harsh working environment, may be it would be better to look for alternate better suited jobs or move to outside province with higher wage parity. sympathy goes to the parents who suffer through these trying time, wish them all the best.
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T Hardwicke
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:40 am
I accept some of the issues the teachers have with the government. I have 2 children in public schools and of course want the best education for them and all kids, but I disagree with their tactics-if this IS FOR THE KIDS and the Kids are the priority then the teachers need to stay teaching our kids and they have to give our children report cards the things they are doing are HURTING our children NOT helping them, if you want to get results then punish the government not the kids, refuse to pay your taxes or come up with another solution but do not use our children as pawns in this dispute it is unfair to them!
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