New Westminster schools will be behind picket lines on Monday, May 26 as part of a four-day rotating strike by the teachers’ union.
“We started with low level actions, but we were clear from the start that we would move to the next stage if necessary,” said B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Jim Iker Tuesday, when he announced the rotating strikes as part of Stage 2 of job action.
On May 16, the provincial government threatened to cut teachers’ pay by five per cent if a new contract agreement is not reached before school summer vacation begins.
The one-day strike action will hit different regions on each of the four days starting Monday. New Westminster is part of the first day of action along with Vancouver and 14 other districts.
“We are disappointed,” said, John Gaiptman, New Westminister superintendent of schools.“Because we won’t have proper supervision, we are going to be asking parents to keep their sons and daughters home (Monday).”
Gaiptman said the district is hopeful there can be some resolution.
“The plan from the school district’s point of view is that we are keeping our fingers crossed that at the provincial table that they can come to an agreement that is satisfactory to both sides and that we are able to get back to the business at hand which is educating our students,” he said.
Iker said he hopes the province will reach out to the union to prevent the job action from going ahead.
“We will remain at the bargaining table. There are six days left before the first school will close. I encourage Christy Clark and (Education Minister) Peter Fassbender to be in touch to move off their unreasonable demands,” he said.
According to the teachers’ union, if a deal can not be reached after job action next week, the rotating strikes may continue “as necessary.”
Minister Fassbender spoke to reporters Tuesday afternoon and said he was disappointed the BCTF was taking this step and he is still hopeful a deal can be reached by Monday.
Negotiations between the teachers and the B.C. Public School Employers' Association, which negotiates on behalf of the province, have been ongoing for 16 months.
The first stage of job action began in April and involved teachers not liaising with school administrators.
In addition to smaller class sizes, and a shorter contract, B.C. teachers are asking for a 13.75 per cent wage increase over four years.
The wage offer from the B.C. Public School Employers' Association is currently at 6.5 per cent over six years.
