Without being in the public education system, it’s difficult to tell how much the teachers’ strike is affecting students.
It’s particularly hard to gauge considering the heavy spin typically employed by the parties in a labour dispute.
We would like to believe the president of the Comox District Teachers’ Association when he said last week that student learning is not being hindered. In Steve Stanley’s place, we would present the local branch of the BC Teachers’ Federation in the best, most responsible, light.
Superintendent Sherry Elwood backed Stanley by saying student learning in the Comox Valley is at the same level as usual.
A news release from the BC Principals' and Vice-Principals' Association, however, says that, “Phase one of the BCTF strike is having an impact on many students and families.”
Teachers are not issuing report cards and many teachers are not participating in formal school activities outside the school day, the release said in a long list of ways the strike is affecting students.
Teachers should not be blamed for withdrawing services during a strike because it’s the only real way a union can pressure management into taking its contract demands seriously.
Comox Valley teachers, Stanley said, hope the withdrawal of some demands by the BCTF will jumpstart stalled negotiations.
Dropping unreasonable demands that you never expected to get anyway is an ancient negotiating tactic to gain public support and entice management into relaxing its position.
Education Minister George Abbott responded immediately by saying the revised contract demands were still unacceptable due to its current no-raise policy for public sector unions.
This is either an arbitrary, inflexible government or one that is trying to stop bleeding red ink.
In the meantime, the strike that is limited by essential-services legislation drags on with no real pressure on either side to make significant concessions.
It’s particularly hard to gauge considering the heavy spin typically employed by the parties in a labour dispute.
We would like to believe the president of the Comox District Teachers’ Association when he said last week that student learning is not being hindered. In Steve Stanley’s place, we would present the local branch of the BC Teachers’ Federation in the best, most responsible, light.
Superintendent Sherry Elwood backed Stanley by saying student learning in the Comox Valley is at the same level as usual.
A news release from the BC Principals' and Vice-Principals' Association, however, says that, “Phase one of the BCTF strike is having an impact on many students and families.”
Teachers are not issuing report cards and many teachers are not participating in formal school activities outside the school day, the release said in a long list of ways the strike is affecting students.
Teachers should not be blamed for withdrawing services during a strike because it’s the only real way a union can pressure management into taking its contract demands seriously.
Comox Valley teachers, Stanley said, hope the withdrawal of some demands by the BCTF will jumpstart stalled negotiations.
Dropping unreasonable demands that you never expected to get anyway is an ancient negotiating tactic to gain public support and entice management into relaxing its position.
Education Minister George Abbott responded immediately by saying the revised contract demands were still unacceptable due to its current no-raise policy for public sector unions.
This is either an arbitrary, inflexible government or one that is trying to stop bleeding red ink.
In the meantime, the strike that is limited by essential-services legislation drags on with no real pressure on either side to make significant concessions.
