Skip to content

Editorial: Can I have some more please?

Questions is raised as to whether all teachers are in agreement

The teachers strike once again.  While we can all sympathize with the large classrooms and the increasing number of “special needs” students foisted upon them, we have to wonder if it is just money that will fix things.

To ask for a 15 per cent wage increase over three years is unrealistic. With the tough economic times we are in, how can the teachers and their union justify this? The province is not giving raises to their employees, businesses and families are trying to survive and yet the teachers want more.  They say they deserve it but yet they say their fight is about the size of the classroom and who is in them. Can’t they fight to hire more teachers to ease the burden without a pay raise? They say they are among the lowest paid in Canada yet they took those jobs knowing what the pay rate was. Their jobs are secure and for life if they want them to be. Most people are pretty happy just to have a full time job. If they took less Pro-D days perhaps there would be money to hire a few more teachers. The teachers have it pretty good, with a lot of holidays to ease the stress — we should all be so lucky really. To some it may appear to be a case of the union flexing its muscles, justifying their own position. It’s a case of all unions getting in on the act reinforcing their positions.

That’s just some of the talk around and about. While we know most teachers are dedicated and invaluable, they are also indoctrinated by their union. Do they all really feel the same way? Are there teachers out there who don’t believe everything they are told? Do they have free will or are they forced to comply?