Fun at the Fair
Luxton Pro Rodeo and fair draws thousands of visitors Page A3
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Inside voices heard Tuesday Anti-rodeo animal rights protesters were on hand outside the Luxton Fair and Pro Rodeo during all three days of the annual event last weekend. On Tuesday at city hall, Langford council heard their pleas for the removal of rodeo events. Since the fair happens on private land and the rodeo activities are considered acceptable practice for the industry, however, it’s unlikely the City of Langford will take action to try banning certain events. Don Descoteau/News staff
Sooke district schools targeted for Monday strike Teachers ramp up job action after rejecting offer Tom Fletcher Black Press
Students in the Sooke School District are looking at a second straight long weekend, with the B.C. Teachers’ Federation’s rotating one-day strikes set to include SD62 next Monday. District superintendent Jim Cambridge said letters went home with all West Shore students Tuesday informing parents that schools will be closed May 26 due
to escalating teachers job action. “Principals will be there to ensure the safe operation of schools, but there will be no (classes), no after-school programs and no programs such as Strong Start (for children up to age 5),” he said. “Presumably, it’s back to business as usual for classes on the Tuesday (May 27) … we’ll see if it continues the following week.” The BCTF action follows its rejection of the province’s offer of a $1,200 signing bonus for reaching an agreement by the end of the school year. Union president Jim Iker said this week the bonus doesn’t make up for the government’s
wage offer of 6.5 per cent over six years. A simultaneous plan to cut teacher wages by five per cent or more because of strike action is “just so disrespectful, so unnecessary, and we’ll be dealing with it at the Labour Relations Board,” Iker said. Unless there is some compromise on major issues, one-day strikes with picket lines will be staged at one group of school districts in each of the first four days next week. Education Minister Peter Fassbender said the bonus, and reducing the contract term from 10 years to six, were significant efforts to move toward a settlement. “Unfortunately the announce-
ment today says that the BCTF feels that disrupting classrooms, affecting children and their families is going to help to reach a settlement,” he told reporters in Vancouver. Iker reiterated the union’s position that more pay, more teachers and a return to contract language guaranteeing class size and special needs support are needed to reach a settlement. Peter Cameron, chief negotiator for B.C.’s 60 school districts, informed the union last week that a five-per-cent pay cut will be put in place “soon” in response to the first phase of strike action. The BCTF began work-to-rule action in April, refusing supervi-
sion outside classrooms and communication with school management. Rotating strikes were also authorized by the BCTF membership in a March vote. Beginning to shut down schools could result in an effort to cut teacher pay by 10 per cent. Cameron said last week the union’s latest wage demand amounts to 15.9 per cent over four years, far beyond what other provincial public service unions have received. The BCTF maintains its wage proposal is 13.25 per cent over four years, including costof-living increases based on each year’s inflation rate. – with files from Don Descoteau editor@goldstreamgazette.com
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