Why strike? It's simple.
We are striking because we are not paid enough considering our 5-6 years or more of education. Some of us hold more than one degree. The gap between inflation and our wages keeps getting bigger. We have had zeroes in our "contract" more often than not in the last 15 years. We are not getting paid the same as everyone else doing the same job in the rest of the country. The provincial government, in their wisdom gave themselves a 27 per centretroactive raise to attract the best minds for the job. The premier received a 54 per cent raise. Yet, we are unwilling to do anything close to that for anyone else. When there is a will, such as avoiding labor upheaval during the Olympics, government finds the dollars to do the job.
We are striking because the system is broken and underfunded. Government broke the system by taking money away from it, removing assistance to kids who need help and has meddled with it since day one, without knowing how the system should work, what the daily needs are in the classroom and having the experience or know how to fix it.
What qualifications does the Minister of Education have to run education, or the premier? It's akin to me telling an engineer, nurse or forester how to do their jobs because I played one on TV once. Ultimately, I think government wants ultimate control of the system so they can make unilateral changes without resistance. If it happens to education, who will be in their sights next? Don't kid yourself, it could be you - a kind of me-too clause. It sets the stage for another Declaration of Independence. That didn't work out too well for King George now did it?
This government is busy working to break the BCTF. How? By playing Calvin ball. Just like the cartoon character Max, government changes the rules when the game doesn't go their way: ignoring the Supreme Court rulings; abusing the sacred trust granted to them by the people of this province by exploiting legislative power, legislating contracts, tearing up contracts (HEU), changing the definition of "essential service", manipulating "negotiations" to provoke a strike to gain political leverage. The government simply wants to make our professional opinions illegal. Who will speak up for the kids then?
Gavyn Linton
Prince George
