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Teachers walk off the job for three days Niomi Pearson THE CHRONICLE
NIOMI PEARSON/CHRONICLE
Ladysmith Secondary School students walked out of class early on Friday to show their support for their teachers, who are staging a three-day strike this Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
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The classrooms are empty, the school playgrounds bereft of the pitter patter of small footsteps, but support for local teachers appears full in Ladysmith. At press time Monday afternoon, strike action announced by the B.C. Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) Thursday was in effect and was expected to last until Wednesday. Meanwhile, parents who were able to take time off work to provide child care for their children could be found at local ball fields and parks. Devon Fry says he is 100 per cent in support of the job action. “It is affecting me, but I’m willing to do it, something has to be done,” he said. “My son is a special needs student, and it’s been very hard to get funding for him.” Tara McDonnell, a mother of two, said she will use the time off school to take her daughters to a BCTF rally being held today on Legislative grounds
in Victoria. for a wage increase ... “It’s so they can see they are teaching our and feel the people get- kids who are going to ting together in support be our future, that’s of their education and invaluable.” all our rights that are Vanessa Ondzik, who being taken away,” she volunteers her time in said. “We’re fairly fortu- the classroom, says nate in Ladysmith, we she feels sorry for the live in an area where teachers, but they may the classes aren’t [over- have to sacrifice the crowded], but there are wage increase to get still needs that are not the support where it is being met, so the teach- most needed. ers do have a real dif- “I want the teachficult time.” ers to get support for McDonnell said she smaller classrooms. I sees parents in the find when it comes to community working the special needs kids together to provide ... there’s not the help child care solutions in the classroom,” she during the strike action. said. While there is no bandB.C. teachers have aid solution to the dis- been without a conpute brewing between tract since June. While t h e B C T F a n d t h e the teachers continue government, everyone to fight for improved should be listening to classroom conditions, the teachers. collective bargaining “The structure is not rights and other beneworking,” she said. fits, the government is McDonnell said she is sticking to its net zero also upset at the high policy of negotiating profile being given to public sector contracts the 15-per-cent wage that don’t include cost increase the BCTF is increases. requesting. L a s t Tu e s d a y, “It’s so much more Education Minister t h a n t h e w a g e . O f George Abbott introcourse a person wants duced Bill 22, legislato make more money, tion “designed to susdon’t we all?” she said. pend the current job “To say that they’re bad See Secondary Page 3 because they’re asking
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