B.C. teachers unveil plan to fight province’s Bill 22

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      The B.C. Teachers’ Federation today (March 21) said its members will vote on a plan to continue the fight against Bill 22, the province’s controversial back-to-work legislation.

      After three days of debate during the union’s recent annual general meeting, delegates adopted the plan which recommends full withdrawal of voluntary extracurricular activities.

      “This government has repeatedly demonstrated such profound disrespect for the work we do that members felt they had to take a stand,” BCTF president Susan Lambert said in a statement.

      “We need a government that supports teachers and parents as we work together to provide the very best for B.C. kids, not one that claims to put families first while attacking all the vital public services people need.”

      The plan also includes the possibility of teachers holding a vote in the future on whether to walk off the job.

      “To be clear, the plan also includes a possibility of a future province-wide vote of members on whether it’s necessary to respond to government actions with a full-scale protest against Bill 22,” Lambert said.

      The plan would also see teachers continuing to provide classroom instruction and preparing final report cards.

      The BCTF argues teachers have been bullied by the province during the long-brewing labour dispute, which saw a three-day walkout earlier in March.

      The 41,000-member union also announced it intends to launch a legal challenge of Bill 22, which makes striking illegal and imposes a mediator in the contract talks.

      Teachers are set to vote on the plan on April 17 and 18.

      Comments

      6 Comments

      reasonable

      Mar 21, 2012 at 5:50pm

      Here's an idea, teachers: put the students needs ahead of your own greed and think of ways to improve classrooms within the net zero rule. Just give up some the the goodies you never should have had like PD play days, banked sick days, extra employer pension contributions, "special days" off, 14 weeks holidays, etc. and the money for special need students will appear.

      0 0Rating: 0

      Tybalt

      Mar 21, 2012 at 6:27pm

      I think $45 000 a year is a fair wage for a teacher considering all the time off they have throughout the year.

      0 0Rating: 0

      Fed up with BCTF

      Mar 21, 2012 at 7:07pm

      The BCTF is a corrupt, militant organization that is out of touch with reality. They are not ensuring what is best for children in this province. Parents and students are in fact being bullied by the BCTF.

      0 0Rating: 0

      Teedeer

      Mar 21, 2012 at 8:08pm

      I hope they do go out. This will give the Government the perfect opportunity to enact legislation putting the idiotic B.C. Teachers Union out of business once and for all. They've been a pain in the ass through every Government since they were formed. Socred, NDP and Liberal alike, its whine, whine, and more whine always hiding the truth behind "Smaller Classroom Sizes" and "It's all about the Student" which is pure B.S. and everyone knows it. When someone says its the principal not the money the whole world know its always about the money. This bunch of idiots would take a 15% raise and stuff the kids in a heartbeat. I think I echo the sentiments of a lot of B.C. parents when I say CAN THE LOT OF THEM.

      0 0Rating: 0

      really fed up

      Mar 21, 2012 at 11:04pm

      This is absolutely rediculous. The BCTF is loosing support of the public and people are getting fed up with the over the top rhetoric. Set a good example for the kids and show what it's like to play fair, and really do put the kids first. One thing we're trying to teach our kids is to play by the rules, but when the teachers are the ones who are talking about breaking them what kind of example are they setting? A lot of times I'm not happy with my work conditions or the priorities that are set out for me but I live in the real world and I've learned how to work within the framework and make it work. Get a grip folks and lets get back to teaching the kids - as that's what matters.

      0 0Rating: 0

      PAB scum

      Mar 22, 2012 at 1:06am

      The BC Liberals pay 200+ full time staff members to "Manage the message" this means call into radio shows, supporting the BC Liberal agenda, write comments on blogs and of course in the comments of online news articles.

      The government's Public Affairs Bureau, responsible for all its communications and media management, employs more than 200 people and has an annual budget of more than $26 million.

      Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Civil+servants+portray+experts+ministr...

      Have you ever wondered why there is a stream of obnoxious comments that no one seems to be agreeing with - yet they keep getting spewed forth?

      http://vansunelections.com/2011/04/08/pab-makes-significant-changes/

      http://www.gov.bc.ca/gcpe/comm_careers.html

      http://www.gov.bc.ca/gcpe/

      http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/BC-Politics/2011/11/15/JobAds/

      0 0Rating: 0