I resent your cartoon implying the government and teachers’ union could learn something from young people about teamwork.
Characterizing this dispute as squabbling between two parties glibly ignores the reality that this is a deliberate politically motivated attack on the BCTF and public school parents and students by a right leaning conservative group that favours private education over public. Consider the facts:
Teachers are without a pay increase for the last four years and are being offered 5.5 per cent over five years guaranteeing income will lag far behind the cost of living that will run about 18 per cent over that time period. They want to protect their families’ security. Who wouldn’t?
Teachers will not make up their lost wages by staying on the picket line.... maybe they are concerned about the deterioration of public schools due to Christy Clark’s government’s cuts.
Teachers gave up a wage increase over 10 years ago to help fund class size and composition issues. Once the deal was signed and teachers went back to work Minister Christy Clark gutted the contract, stabbing teachers in the back. Any wonder there’s a corrosive lack of trust for this government.
The Supreme Court has accused our government of trying to provoke a strike to score political points by saying teachers must “volunteer” to give up time for extracurricular activities.The court found this to be such egregious behaviour the government was fined $2-million.
The government fired the negotiating body BCPSEA and replaced them with a political appointee who has done nothing but let the crisis fester - again for political advantage.
So the next time your editorial cartoonist chooses a topic maybe they should do their homework instead of aiding the government misinformation machine that continues to grind our public schools into the dust all funded by taxpayers’ hard earned dollars.
Ted Roberts
Sooke