NDTA teachers 'disappointed' strike entering second week Monday
By Bruce Fuhr
There is still no good news for more than half a million B.C. students as beginning Monday the strike by BC teachers enters its second week.
Saturday, the BC Government issued a release rejecting the idea proposed Friday by BC Teachers Federation president Jim Iker for the two sides to solve this dispute by entering into binding arbitration.
Education Minister Peter Fassbender said he was advised against the move by government negotiator Peter Cameron.
Nelson and District Teachers Association president Paul Boscariol said his members are “disappointed” with the latest decision by the government.
“Members are disappointed yet again at the government’s intransigent position,” Boscariol told The Nelson Daily Sunday.
“They were hoping that this option might have moved the process forward, though knowing that there are some inherent risks for both parties going into binding arbitration.”
Boscariol said its business as usual for the members of the NDTA after Friday’s study session saw picket lines come down around Kootenay Lake School District No. 8.
Teachers and members of CUPE 748 will be back on the picket line Monday, closing down all Kootenay Lake facilities.
“The teachers’ resolve continues as they know that in the end it is public education that is going to be seriously damaged if the government does not make a realistic effort to deal with class size and composition issues along with adequate funding,” Boscariol explained.
The major issues stopping teachers from going back to class remain wages and teachers’ conditions regarding class size and support staff levels.
Boscariol said that funding breaks down to an approximate $5 million shortfall for Kootenay Lake School District.
“Funding education in BC at a sum of $1000/pupil below the national average is a serious problem,” he said.
“To put that into context for our district of approximately 5000 students, the shortfall is about $5 Million.”
“The parents are seeing and understanding this,” Bascariol adds.
“It is time for the public in general to press the government to reinvest in education as it affects “all” people in BC, regardless if you have children in the system or not.”
More than 40,000 teachers in the BCTF went on strike two weeks in June, putting half a million students out of class and delaying the start of class indefinitely.
Despite mediator Vince Ready getting involved in the dispute, in August, the start of the 2014-15 public school term of Tuesday, September 2, came and went.
In support of teachers and public education, more than 500 parents, students and teachers joined in a protest march along Baker Street in Nelson on what was supposed to be the first day of school (September 2) to raise public concern over the on-going strike.
No new talks have been scheduled between the two sides involved in the dispute — BCTF and B.C. Public School Employers’ Association, bargaining agent for the provincial government.
