Squamish youth will get an extra long weekend as teachers head to the picket lines early next week
Starting Monday (May 26), teachers across the province will start rotating strikes continuing until Thursday (May 29). Instructors from the Sea to Sky School District will be out of class on Monday. As of Tuesday (May 20), the B.C. Teachers’ Federation stated all schools would be open on Friday, May 30.
The rotating strike comes as the provincial government, B.C. Public School Employers’ Association and the B.C. Teachers’ Federation continue 16 months’ worth of negotiations regarding class size and composition and wages.
On Friday (May 16), provincial officials threatened to cut teachers’ wages by five per cent if the parties couldn’t reach an agreement by June. The provincial government has placed a six-year proposal on the table, which includes a $1,200 signing bonus.
Class size and composition are key sticking points in the talks. Earlier this year, a court ruling ordered the government to return class sizes to levels seen 12 years ago. That would come with a $1 billion price tag, government officials said.
Parents and students want to see a negotiated teachers’ contract before the end of the school year, Minister of Education Peter Fassbender said in a statement.
“Students and parents don’t need to begin yet another school year in September with the threat of a full strike and major disruption hanging over their heads,” he said. “Our children deserve stability.”
Since 2000, the number of students in B.C. has decreased by approximately 70,000 pupils, according to the Ministry of Education. This year’s average class sizes are equal to the province’s historical lows, the province noted.
Grades 4 to 7 held the largest number of students, with an average of 25.7 per class. The rest fell below, dropping to 23 in Grades 8 to 12, 21.5 in Grades 1 through 3 and 19.3 in kindergarten.
Teachers’ salaries in B.C. range from approximately $48,000 to $81,000, reported the 2011-’12 Canadian Teacher Salary Rankings.
The rotating strikes were announced as the province voiced threats around wage rollback and lockouts, B.C. Teachers’ Federation President Jim Iker.
“Unfortunately, the employer has steadfastly refused to table any improvements to class size, class composition, and staffing levels for specialist teachers,” he said.
The province is funding education $1,000 per student less than the national average, Iker said. British Columbians need to take a strong stand and convince Christy Clark’s government to reinvest in students, he said.
“It is time for government to make education a funding priority,” Iker said.
In a letter to parents, the Sea to Sky School District Superintendent Lisa McCullough warned of the possibility of future school closures if the BCTF takes the job action to the next level.
“It is our collective hope that the labour dispute is resolved quickly at the bargaining table and that our school district can soon return to normal operations,” she said.
