BC Worker

Mass rally of teachers and their supporters at BC Legislature, Victoria, June 16, 2014. (T. Sprackett)

All Out to Support Teachers and Public Education!

Today, June 17, BC teachers move from rotating strikes to an all-out province-wide strike to press their demands in defence of public education, their working conditions and students' learning conditions. Following the breakdown of negotiations on June 16, BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF) President Jim Iker remarked, "Government had that opportunity to get a deal this weekend and they squandered it. It's just so disappointing."

The BC Liberal government refuses to come forward with funding to reduce class sizes, improve class composition in public schools and meet the wage demands of teachers commensurate with the important work they do. The Liberal government's wrecking of public education and refusal to negotiate with teachers is so blatant they are following exactly the tactics that led BC Supreme Court Justice Griffin to conclude on January 27 that the government provoked the teachers into an all-out strike the last time around. The ruling concluded that the government is in contempt of collective bargaining and flagrantly violates the established laws within the Labour Code.

The last decade of conflict between the government and teachers shows that to defend their rights and public education, the teachers must not back down but rather intensify their determination for a contract agreeable to themselves. The teachers have demonstrated their determination to meet the Liberal government's arrogance voting by an 86 per cent yes vote on June 10, to escalate their job action to an all-out strike. Besides picket lines at schools, mass actions have included a rally of 750 teachers, students and parents in front of Education Minister Peter Fassbender's office in Surrey on June 7, a demonstration of Victoria teachers outside the Ministry of Education on June 10, and a complementary rally of Vancouver teachers outside the offices of the BC Public School Employers' Association, and constant rallies and pickets at constituency offices of Liberal MLAs accompanied with horn honking, and myriad signs damning the government and defending public education.

Teachers and supporters hold mass rally outside Ministry of Education, Victoria, June 10, 2014.

Parents, students, organized and unorganized workers and entire communities have shown through actions their broad support for teachers and public education. Union leaders from CUPE, United Steelworkers and the President of the BC Federation of Labour Jim Sinclair have shown up at these gatherings and expressed their full support for the teachers. Throughout the province, health care workers, steelworkers, miners, and others have joined teachers on picket lines and in rallies.

Public support for the teachers has never been higher because this struggle in defence of teachers' rights and public education has touched the public consciousness. In defending their rights to a settlement agreeable to themselves, teachers are fighting for quality public education. The quality of education is determined by not only the quality of teachers and the respect society shows for them but also by the quality of their working conditions, which together are the students' learning conditions.

Public consciousness grasps that the teachers' struggle is a fight for quality public education for all, for the young generation from the working class, First Nations and others throughout the province. The present situation is unacceptable. As it is now, if a child has learning problems, parents must put up with inadequate assistance or pay up to $24,000 a year to send their children to a private school. Those private schools, whose aim is to make money for their owners, receive public funding. This public funding comes out of what the government allows for education generally.

Broad support for teachers from organized labour and others, including (from top left to bottom right): striking Ikea workers in Surrey, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the BC School Trustees Association, the Canadian Federation of Students and the BC Federation of Labour. Bottom right, BC Fed President Jim Sinclair addresses rally outside BC Public School Employers' Association, Vancouver, June 10, 2014.

Private schools like St. George's in Vancouver cost parents $15,000 a year. Premier Christy Clark sends her own son to a private school. She does this at the same time as she misuses the public authority to starve the public system of needed funding. The trend of degrading public education under the hoax of lack of money is a deliberate agenda of the Liberal government to turn education over to the private sector. Education is a right, not a privilege. It must not be denied to the mass of students. To turn fundamental rights which are required by human beings to realize their quality of being human into a privilege is a very retrogressive move for society.

Now is the time to bring maximum pressure through organized actions of the teachers and the workers' movement to force the Clark government to back down and increase funding for public education. It can be done; it must be done. Taking a stand with the teachers today means defending public education and the rights of all!

On June 16, 2014, teachers across BC held a study session to review bargaining proposals and prepare for further labour action. Shown here, teachers in the Lower Mainland.

Denounce State-Organized Attacks

The BC Labour Board, on June 4, issued a ruling that the BC Public School Employers' Association (BCPSEA) has not violated the terms of the essential services designations negotiated with the BC Teachers Federation (BCTF). The ruling declares that locking out teachers from performing agreed to essential services and cutting their pay 10 per cent does not violate the Labour Board's own orders.

The BCTF challenged both the 10 per cent pay cut by the BCPSEA and its lockout, arguing that these actions violate the Board's own agreed to essential service orders.

The lockout and pay cut do indeed appear to violate the agreed upon terms of essential services and orders of the Labour Board, which state in part, "With respect to any before/after school, recess or noon hour supervision normally provided by teachers, before/after school supervision related only to bus drop off and pick up, and recess and noon hour supervision will continue to be provided by teachers subject to the Employer utilizing management and excluded staff to the best extent possible to replace teachers for these activities."

Following this ruling, the Labour Board piled on the state attacks on teachers with a June 12 ruling that provincial exams for Grades 10 through 12 and final marks for Grade 12 students are essential services. The Board ordered that BCTF members, even if on a full strike, must provide final marks for Grade 12 by June 20 and supervise provincial exams for Grade 10 through 12 students.

These state-organized attacks on teachers and their right to a negotiated settlement agreeable to themselves regarding wages and working conditions, which are the learning conditions of students, reveal a ruling elite determined to transfer public funds away from public education to private interests, such as the provision of infrastructure for the global energy monopolies, direct subsidies and tax breaks for monopolies and to privatize education.

This must not pass! Education is a right and social responsibility of a modern state. The state must provide all the necessary resources to guarantee the right to a public education for all.

Stand as one with teachers in the defence of their rights and public education. Demand increased investments in public education!

Widespread Support from Parents and Students

In rallies, walkouts, pickets, petitions and other creative initiatives, BC students and parents have expressed their support for teachers and public education.

Students

One hundred high school students participated in a rally at Robson Square in downtown Vancouver on May 6. They held up a large banner reading, "We Love Teachers." Placards amongst the rally included: "Education Isn't a Business," "Teachers' Rights -- Students' Rights," "Increase Education Funding," "An Investment That Matters." A petition was circulated supporting teachers.

About 20 students addressed the rally, with the microphone then opened up for anyone to speak. In between speeches, the students shouted slogans such as, "We need teachers!"; "No ifs or buts! No education cuts!"; No cutbacks, fight back!"; and "This is what democracy looks like!"

Holly from Windermere Secondary School said, "We are sick and tired of what the government is putting teachers through. We want them to be able to do their jobs so we can get an education. Teachers care about us as people not just how we perform."

Julie claimed, "Education is one of the fundamental aspects of society but the government is not willing to give teachers the things that would improve the quality of education. The government says it doesn't have money. Not true. They found money for a new roof on BC Place. Teachers deserve our support."

Raj from Surrey said, "The government doesn't value public education like it should. BC needs to put money where it matters most -- public education. We can make a difference. We need a campaign that will win."

Sarah from University Hill Secondary said, "Teachers have stood up for us. We are the future. Our generation won't stand by. Quality education cannot be had if teachers are stressed out. Our future livelihoods are at risk. Our voice will be heard. We are the most politically aware generation. We may be young but we have the power to remake our society. We have a moral obligation to disobey unjust laws."

Aaron said that his teacher helped him develop an independent studies program. He said that teachers care or they wouldn't sponsor independent programs.

As the teachers' job action has escalated, students throughout the province have joined picket lines and, under threat of discipline, walked out in support of their teachers.

Parents

A petition containing 6,600 signatures was presented on May 29, to the BC Legislature by Selina Robinson, NDP MLA for Coquitlam-Mallairdville. The on-line petition was initiated by Lee-Anne Ekland, the mother of a pre-schooler, and reads in part:

"Parents (and now Grandparents), you are the last frontier. It is time that parents and the grandparents of children in the BC public school system be heard as a collective in support of our teachers.

"By signing this petition you agree that the state of public education in this province is in crisis. The Liberal Government is going against TWO Court rulings that state that they are not bargaining in good faith, meaning that they have violated the Charter of Rights.

"They were told by well-respected Madame Justice Susan Griffin that by doing this they are breaking the law. Even though the Liberal Government admitted under oath that they used subversive tactics to goad teacher's into striking in 2012 and dictated how bargaining takes place they continue to ignore those rulings and are wasting tax payers money by appealing. Those dollars could be better spent on public education.

"Above all, the Liberal Government needs to understand that what they are doing is not only short-sighted but detrimental to the overall health of the BC economy. And of course they are not putting kids first as promised. The kids are our future and without them we are nothing.

"As Parents and as a collective we believe in supporting Teachers as they fight for:

- workable class size and composition
- safe working conditions for teachers and students
- support for kids with special needs
- fair pay for teachers
- a government that prioritizes quality education
- bargaining rights for teachers
- the right to do their jobs and to enjoy them so that our kids learn and thrive in an environment that supports them.

"This issue won't go away unless the parents (and now grandparents!) of children in the BC public school system stand up alongside the teachers who mean so much to our kids and their future."

Other similar parent-initiated petitions are on-line, including one that has been signed by more than 8,000 people.

Notice Given to Escalate to
Full-Scale Strike on June 17

Following a historic and decisive province-wide 86% vote that saw the BC Teachers' Federation's highest ever turnout, the BCTF has served notice to escalate job action on Tuesday, June 17 to a full withdrawal of services, BCTF President Jim Iker announced today.

"This week's vote made it clear that BC teachers care deeply about the state of public education and their ability to meet the needs of all their students," said Iker. "As well, it showed how firmly teachers are committed to doing what's necessary to reach a fair deal.

"After 12 years of deep cuts, 3,500 teaching positions lost, and 200 schools closed, we are urging this government to reinvest in public education. Teachers are doing their utmost in an underfunded and under-resourced system, but students are not getting the support or one-on-one time they need. Our kids deserve so much more.

"There are still several days left, during which both sides can hunker down, reach a settlement, avoid a full-scale strike, and end the government's lockout. We're ready to move, but my message to Christy Clark is, come to the table with new funding, an open mind, and the flexibility needed to reach a fair settlement that will support teachers and students."

Iker explained that the BCTF has provided the employer with notice that the full withdrawal of services will commence on Tuesday, June 17. In addition, the BCTF has provided notice that Stage 2 job action will be extended to Monday, June 16, with all teachers participating in study sessions province-wide. Teachers will gather together off school property. Schools will not be picketed, but teachers will not be on site.

For the balance of this week, rotating strikes will continue according to the schedule announced earlier. Teachers remain locked out by their employer during recess, lunch, and 45 minutes before and after school, preventing them from doing their regular work during lockout hours.

"To get a fair deal and avert a full-scale strike, BC teachers are looking for improvements to class size, class composition, and staffing levels for specialist teachers to increase one-on-one time for students," said Iker. "In addition to improvements to student learning conditions, a fair deal must also include a fair wage increase for teachers."

All Out to Support Teachers and Public Education!

All Out to Support Teachers and Public Education!

Denounce State-Organized Attacks

Widespread Support from Parents and Students

Students

Parents

Notice Given to Escalate to Full-Scale Strike on June 17

All Out to Support Teachers and
Public Education!

Notice Given to Escalate to
Full-Scale Strike on June 17