Rotating teacher strikes to continue; community rallies
By Kyra Hoggan
Rotating teacher strikes will continue next week, with instruction brought to a halt in every school district for another full day (in SD 20, that will be June 2, and June 5 for SD 8. See end of story for all district schedules).
“On Monday, June 2, schools and other SD20 locations will be picketed by members of the BCTF,” said SD 20 superintendent Greg Luterbach. “I expect that all union personnel in our schools will be directed by their executives to not cross the picket lines. Should this occur, I also expect that each school will have very limited, and in all likelihood, no teaching or support staff to supervise students.”
BCTF President Jim Iker said in a press release announcing the job action that, “BC teachers are committed to negotiating a fair and reasonable settlement at the bargaining table.
“That agreement, however, needs to include adequate funding to make improvements to important learning conditions, which are teachers’ working conditions. It’s time for Premier Christy Clark to free up the resources that will bring the two sides closer together and ensure students start the next school year with smaller classes, more support for children with special needs, and extra one-on-one time.”
Meanwhile, the cancelled SD 20 elementary track and field meet has been rescheduled for June 5, with parent volunteers handling supervision responsibilities.
At the same time, Castlegar McDonald’s presented a very tangible show of support for local teachers, posting this Facebook status, “Dear teachers we support you, and would like to offer our place for you to have lunch, this week we offer you a free Big Mac extra value meal or McChicken extra value meal just show your school ID. Between the hours of 11am-1pm this Thursday and Friday.”
Rotating Strike schedule June 2–June 6 (no action Wednesday, June 4)
Monday, June 2
#20 – Kootenay-Columbia
#23 – Central Okanagan
#27 – Cariboo-Chilcotin
#35 – Langley
#37 – Delta
#38 – Richmond
#42 – Maple Ridge
#52 – Prince Rupert
#59 – Peace River South
#63 – Saanich
#68 – Nanaimo
#70 – Alberni
#83 – North Okanagan-Shuswap
Tuesday, June 3
#10 – Arrow Lakes
#19 – Revelstoke
#22 – Vernon
#33 – Chilliwack
#36 – Surrey
#41 – Burnaby
#44 – North Vancouver
#45 – West Vancouver
#46 – Sunshine Coast
#57 – Prince George
#58 – Nicola Similkameen
#64 – Gulf Islands
#71 – Comox
#79 – Cowichan Valley
#81 – Fort Nelson
Thursday, June 5
#8 – Kootenay Lake
#34 – Abbotsford
#43 – Coquitlam
#47 – Powell River
#50 – Haida Gwaii
#51 – Boundary
#53 – Okanagan Similkameen
#54 – Bulkley Valley
#60 – Peace River North
#61 – Greater Victoria
#69 – Qualicum
#73 – Kamloops Thompson
#84 – Vancouver Island West
#91 – Nechako Lakes
#92 – Nisga’a
Friday, June 6
#5 – Southeast Kootenay
#6 – Rocky Mountain
#28 – Quesnel
#39 – Vancouver
#40 – New Westminster
#48 – Sea to Sky
#49 – Central Coast
#62 – Sooke
#67 – Okanagan Skaha
#72 – Campbell River
#74 – Gold Trail
#75 – Mission
#78 – Fraser-Cascade
#82 – Coast Mountains
#85 – Vancouver Island North
#87 – Stikine
School District #93 (Conseil Scolaire Francophone) schools will be closed with others in their local communities throughout the week.
