Strike!

[Montgomery Burns]

B.C. teachers demand 15% raise over 3 years; schools closed

I'm so tired of these greedy taxpayer-sucking unionized govt employees going on strike, CBC, and know this.

If only Canada had a leader with the balls to "Go Reagan" on them...

[B. Max]

I agree 100%, but look on the bright side, at least there won't be any homosexual classes for a while. To bad they didn't go on strike early on in the summer it might have given the government a chance to sell off all the schools and go a hundred percent private.

[Riverwind]

If only Canada had a leader with the balls to "Go Reagan" on them... 

The BC Liberals have already tabled legislation to force them back to work.

[Montgomery Burns]

If only Canada had a leader with the balls to "Go Reagan" on them... 

The BC Liberals have already tabled legislation to force them back to work.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe it is the Labour Relations Board who ordered them to go back to duty. Anyway, the wage freeze was only to June/2006.

[August1991]

"They are in violation of the law, and if they do not report for work within forty-eight hours, they have forfeited their jobs and will be terminated." (Washington, D.C., August 3, 1981)

History Channel

Reagan then did exactly that. Or as he put it, "I didn't fire them - they quit!" National Review

I somehow doubt that will happen in BC now. I venture to argue that something similar will happen in Canada in the future.

----

Incidentally, Quebec's public sector unions are now negotiating with the Quebec government and have rejected a government offer that is more generous than what the BC teachers unions are asking for.

[Riverwind]

Incidentally, Quebec's public sector unions are now negotiating with the Quebec government and have rejected a government offer that is more generous than what the BC teachers unions are asking for.

I suspect the Quebec unions are deliberately trying to embarrass a federalist premier. I hope that they don't believe that the most taxed juristiction in Canada needs pay more taxes.

[Montgomery Burns]

"I didn't fire them - they quit!"

Good catch, August1991. I had forgotten about that quote; that's exactly what Reagan said.

[I Miss Trudeau]

"They are in violation of the law, and if they do not report for work within forty-eight hours, they have forfeited their jobs and will be terminated." (Washington, D.C., August 3, 1981)

History Channel

Reagan then did exactly that. Or as he put it, "I didn't fire them - they quit!" National Review

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And their education system has remained a sham ever since. Way to go, Gipper!

[August1991]

I suspect the Quebec unions are deliberately trying to embarrass a federalist premier. I hope that they don't believe that the most taxed juristiction in Canada needs pay more taxes.

Partly, Sparhawk. Everything in Quebec, absolutely everything, is perceived through a federalist/separatist division. But true, the unions may also want more money, and a negotiation is a negotiation.

And their education system has remained a sham ever since. Way to go, Gipper!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Uh, Miss Trudeau, Reagan didn't fire teachers. He fired Air Traffic Controllers. This posed numerous problems at US airports at the time - they had to find replacements - but you'll note that there were no major airplane crashes in 1982 or 1983, certainly none due to Air Traffic error.

Now then, if Campbell fired all BC teachers and then hired again from scratch, as Reagan did, would kids in BC get a better education or not next year? Your call.

IOW, is our education system designed for kids, or for teachers' security?

[geoffrey]

Teacher strikes anger me the most out all all union activities.

They claim it doesn't hurt students, it is for their own good, but I myself was nearly caught not graduating because of a immenient teacher's strike. I truly feel sorry for those BC students that are being denied their rights by a union dedicated to greed.

If the teachers wanted to act in the best interests of their students, they would have gone on strike in the summer, or maybe proposed an agreement themselves.

I want to see this, and other teacher unions broken, as they act contrary to public good.

Perhaps a lawsuit or a human rights complaint by one of the students for them denying his/her right to basic education.

[fellowtraveller]

I encourage the BC government in their efforts to take control of the provinces education system back from the trade unions.

Go Emory!

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear August1991,

Uh, Miss Trudeau, Reagan didn't fire teachers. He fired Air Traffic Controllers. This posed numerous problems at US airports at the time - they had to find replacements

Yes, they used the military for replacements.

IOW, is our education system designed for kids, or for teachers' security?

Unions are designed for a teacher's security. I am for the abolition of unions, but certainly not for the privatization of the school system.

[Montgomery Burns]

"They are in violation of the law, and if they do not report for work within forty-eight hours, they have forfeited their jobs and will be terminated." (Washington, D.C., August 3, 1981)

History Channel

Reagan then did exactly that. Or as he put it, "I didn't fire them - they quit!" National Review

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And their education system has remained a sham ever since. Way to go, Gipper!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As was previously stated by August1991, I'm not sure what air traffic controllers have to do with teachers. Besides, every reasonable person admits that the left controls the education system. It's one of the pet peeves of many on the right.

[Montgomery Burns]

Teacher strikes anger me the most out all all union activities.

They claim it doesn't hurt students, it is for their own good, but I myself was nearly caught not graduating because of a immenient teacher's strike. I truly feel sorry for those BC students that are being denied their rights by a union dedicated to greed.

If the teachers wanted to act in the best interests of their students, they would have gone on strike in the summer, or maybe proposed an agreement themselves.

I want to see this, and other teacher unions broken, as they act contrary to public good.

Perhaps a lawsuit or a human rights complaint by one of the students for them denying his/her right to basic education.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In a bizarre tidbit, the teacher’s union lawyer argued in front of the Labour Relations Board of BC board that teachers really aren’t that essential. The Vancouver Sun reported:

You know things are a bit whacky in the ongoing teachers’ labour dispute when the lawyer for the BCTF argues in front of the Labour Relations Board that there is no evidence to suggest that lengthy disruptions or lockouts do long-term damage to education. Lawyer Diane MacDonald is quoted as telling the B.C. Labour Relations Board: “We have had job actions in the past that have been up to three months’ duration without significant impact on the student body.”

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear Montgomery Burns,

Besides, every reasonable person admits that the left controls the education system.

Hilarious choice of words. Not entirely correct, but mostly. There are private schools for those than can afford it, and they are not forced to be 'communist indoctrination camps'. As to the rest, publicly funded education is a good thing. It offers the opportunity of education to all children equally, and ostensibly gives them equal opportunity, rather than having them educated according to their parent's ability to pay.

[Guest eureka]

Our education systems are mostly controlled by the "Right" not the "Left." To the "Leftists" usually falls the task of trying to make the systems work for the benefit of students and not just feed the corporate maw.

[Argus]

Our education systems are mostly controlled by the "Right" not the "Left."  To the "Leftists" usually falls the task of trying to make the systems work for the benefit of students and not just feed the corporate maw.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is nonsene. If public education was controlled by the right there would be an almost total concentration on the three R's, much more discipline, and much less coddling. There would be strict standards for passing, and students would be readily informed when they were failing to meet them. No one would graduate without having a very strong grounding in language and math, and would be taught the essentials of Canadian traditions and history. The fact is you find very, very few right-wing teachers, and thus the educational establishment, which draws from that base, is left wing. As are their theories and principles (and principals).

[cybercoma]

I don't care what anyone says on this issue, teachers should not be allowed to disprupt the education of children that depend on them. They're entitled to hold protests and things on their own time, but making kids in schools suffer because of your contract negotiations is deplorable at best. Throughout elementary and high school, my classes were disrupted 4 times by strikes and work to rule protests. I firmly believe it is detrimental to the education of some children.

[Guest eureka]

Then tell that to the governments that have demonized and made scapegoats of teachers! Tell the governments that when they give the profession the respect and the remuneration that it deserves, there will be no interruptions.

Perhaps then you will unlearn what Mike Harris, the failed teacher who could not cope with the demands, emotional or intellectual, taught you. Campbell is merely playing the same game amd bringing out of the woodwork all those who exemplify why scapegoating their betters is so effective a strategy for tyrants.

" I don't care what anyone syas...." My mind is made up about sums the level of insight into problems of the real haters and disrupters of the education system.

[Argus]

Then tell that to the governments that have demonized and made scapegoats of teachers! Tell the governments that when they give the profession the respect and the remuneration that it deserves, there will be no interruptions.

Hmm, would the teachers be willing to take that big a wage cut?

[Yodeler]

If public education was controlled by the right there would be an almost total concentration on the three R's, much more discipline, and much less coddling. There would be strict standards for passing, and students would be readily informed when they were failing to meet them. No one would graduate without having a very strong grounding in language and math, and would be taught the essentials of Canadian traditions and history.  The fact is you find very, very few right-wing teachers, and thus the educational establishment, which draws from that base, is left wing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If the system you describe above is strictly "right-wing", how come that it was the norm not only in Canadian and U.S. schools back in the 60s, but also in all of the Iron Curtain countries?

[redhead_pt]

It should be surprising to many of you that the majority of BC parents are on side with the teachers. The all too little publicized aspect of teachers’ contract negotiations are limits on class sizes, which, under the not-so-watchful eye of our liberal government have increased from and average of 24 to 35 and above. Funding has also been slashed and downloaded onto local school boards, which have had no choice but to respond by closing libraries- entire schools even- and the forced elimination of programs designed to benefit students with special needs (i.e. disabilities, ESL). Hard cuts may have been necessary after certain budgetary shortfalls of the NDP era, but in this time of surplus, surely the government can share in its profits. If the Campbell government can revel in it’s self-administered salary increases, then there is a certain amount of hypocrisy in denying the demands of teachers. Contract negotiations always follow the pattern of “ask for more, expect less” so this 15% wage increase that is demanded by teachers is certainly not expectation. They warrant a wage increase, which, at the very least, reflects inflation and the higher than average living expenses of the province as a whole.

Bill Teleman said it best:

“By imposing a contract last week on BC teachers instead of allowing them to continue with free collective bargaining, including the democratic right to strike, the Gordon Campbell government once again showed disrespect for the law. And the law is even of its own making.”

In my opinion, said disregard extends arguably to certain aspects of our charter of rights and freedoms, but that is another matter entirely… he goes on,

“The government was quite clear that it was not – repeat not – eliminating the right to strike. A government news release dated Aug. 14, 2001 was crystal clear about Bill 18. ‘The legislation maintains the right to engage in free-collective bargaining, and teachers and support workers continue to have the right to strike,’ it stated. But last week’s legislation makes a mockery of the government’s own words. No one should be surprised that the Liberals lack respect for the law, even when they write it for themselves.”

No issues will be resolved by this new legislation! Students have suffered far more at the hand of the Liberal government than they would had they simply allowed teachers to exercise their right to strike to reach a negotiated agreement. By infuriating the teachers with such condescending back-to-work legislation, the Liberals have succeeded only in prolonging the negotiative process…

[fellowtraveller]

No issues will be resolved by this new legislation!

Sure it will. It will let the teachers know in no uncertain terms that they are no longer above the law. The strike is illegal, and I hope the legislation charges them a billion dollars a day in fines.

It's long overdue for the teachers union to learn whom is in charge of public education.

[Guest eureka]

Did some teacher neglect your education by failing to distinguish between "who" and "whom?" Is that the reason for your reflexive dislike of teachers?

[redhead_pt]

exercising the right to strike is by no means "above law"... i think you should re-read my post, becuase you seem to have overlooked my point... either that, or you are simply too dense to wrap your mind around it...