Dear Editor,
It is not too late for a deal to be worked out with the BCTF. The face-to-face between Peter Fassbender, Peter Cameron, and Jim Iker was a start, but these are baby steps.
Why would the Minister of Education ask that a cooling off period be instituted? Is the temperature getting too uncomfortable?
Teachers have been feeling the pressure ever since we started our job action with Phase One. We have continued to pay the price to press our bargaining case with a five and then 10 per cent pay decrease for not attending a bimonthly staff meeting, for not doing a 15-minute supervision shift once a week – and then going without a wage when we decided to withdraw our services or were locked out.
With all the sacrifices we’ve made, why should we agree to a cooling off period?
I hope we keep up the pressure, that we continue to make the financial sacrifices, and continue to generate more support from the B.C. public against the government’s unwillingness to get down to serious negotiations.
We may not achieve some of our bargaining objectives, but we will have earned every successful objective by our determination and sacrifices.
What is the education minister willing to sacrifice to get students back in school by Sept. 2? I’m sure there are thousands upon thousands of parents – voters – who are going through hell right now, and who will not forget.
Paul Milette, Langley