Teachers Take Message to Office of Mike Morris
Teachers and their supporters at Mike Morris's constituency office- photo 250news
Prince George, B.C.- Another lunch hour gathering of striking teachers today. This time, it was an event at the constituency office of MLA Mike Morris.
About 60 people were in the shade side of the building, trying to stay out of the blazing sun, yet deliver the message.
“We’re essentially trying to turn the heat up on our mla’s on a day that’s going to be over 30 degrees, it’s a perfect day to do that” says Prince George and District Teachers Association President Tina cousins.
Last week, a similar event was held outside the constituency office of MLA Shirley Bond.
"Our membership wants the public to know teachers are on strike and we’re still here, although it’s July 15th, teachers are out wanting the public to know that we’re concerned about public education and what isn’t going on at the bargaining table.”
The teachers are supporting mediation, but that has not happened, as potential mediators have refused to take the job because they say the two sides are too far apart.
Last week, the Vancouver School Board called for the dispute to be ended by binding arbitration.
Cousins says she is hopeful the dispute will be resolved soon, “Hope is all we have, I never thought that it would come to this, that it would be mid July and we would still be doing some sort of protest with no end in sight. We hope for mediation.”
Comments
I see the usual sign about doing it for ‘the kids’, but where’s the sign telling people how much their demands will cost taxpayers?
What happens with the $200 Million that wasn’t spent on Education since the strike began. I don’t recall anyone suggesting a rebate on my school taxes.
I see the usual auto-bot “how much money will it cost” question from JB is on here!
Always asking questions, and never having any answers. Might want to engage in something called research before you post JB, it works for me ;-)
JB, so our premier can charge up just shy of $500,000 on her credit card this year and you are asking what the teachers demands will cost tax payers… how much did the Olympics cost us.. and we got nothing from it.. how much did the virk payout/legal fees cost us.. $6,000,000 and I guess thats fine with you… but teachers.. how dare you want money to better educate our children…for sham on you.
The classic still was last time the teachers went on strike and the governement saved 38 million in wages etc and then crusty clark stands up and boldly adds 30 million to the schools budget.. like she is a hero… yet what happened to the other 8 million… but guess thats fine with you…
come on people I don’t think this site was put here for persoanl attacks.
I see Peeps is up to her usual tactic of attacking the poster rather than addressing the post. Nothing new to see here, move along.
Education and the Medical System already take up 2/3 of the Provincial Budget.
Let’s try again… What services need to be cut or how much do taxes need to be raised to make sure the teachers get a bigger slice of the pie?
Where’s the money tree?
Why would the two sides negotiate when school is out and there is no pressure to resolve the conflict?
Just wait until closer to the beginning of school starting again and you will see things revving up.
I think it is despicable that the money saved during the strike/walkout/lockout is turned around and given back to the teachers like it was “found” money. No one is fooled by that ploy (I hope!)
“Our membership wants the public to know teachers are on strike and were still here… really why aren’t they picketing like many other districts throughout the province at every worksite. Is it really for the kids or is it really for the teachers?
to woodwoman
What districts have pickets at them? Are they year round schools?
Pval “… how much did the Olympics cost us.. and we got nothing from it..”
The committee just reported that the Olympics ended up with a balanced budget and paid for themselves.
It was a great successful event, enjoyed by millions here and around the world.
Sorry for posting the positive facts.
On July 2nd the BCTF stated that picket lines would occur all summer and a spokesperson for the union said “picket lines will have to be maintained at summer school sites and locals will run their picket lines at other sites in a fashion that works for them.” So judging by attendance at these rallies and lack of any picketing so far “in a fashion that works for them” appears to mean when their vacations are over.
Jack up the sales taxes 3% across the board and dedicate it to Education! There that was easy.
Prince George. You are fast and loose when you refer to the facts.
The Vancouver Olympics broke even as a result of what is referred to as **creative accounting**. This same creative accounting was used by Colin Kinsley for the Northern Sports Centre, where the centre is funded from UNBC and the City to the tune of $600,000.00 per year, and it then has a balanced budget.
In the case of the Olympics, I think there are a number of real estate ventures that have not been added as costs. In addition the upgrade to the Sea to Sky Highway cost taxpayers $400 Million dollars over 40 years and this money wont show as a cost. Im sure there are many other **hidden costs**.
So only one who was ill informed would believe that the Olympics broke even.
As for the Teachers Strike. They have no support from the general public, nor are they likely to get any. They have been led down the garden path by their Union Leaders, and will get nothing from this strike except more bad feelings from the general public who are sick and tired of paying high wages to ***all*** Civil Servants. They should go back to work, do a good job, and continue to work towards a huge pension with benefits.
Relax teachers. Your contract has already been written by the Communications Dept. of the Premier Clark’s office. Your commie buts will be in the classroom in time for class in September.
My confidence in this is affirmed by Minister De Jong stating that the government will not legislate an end to the dispute. That is code for: “Go on a vacation. While you are out there and not reading the news, we will legislate a punitive settlement that will definitely spoil your summer.” As Mr. Doubtfire used to say, “Brace yourself Effie!”
Prince George. Facts, what facts..lol
I agree it was enjoyed by millions.. But as for being on budget..lol. Please don’t tell me you believe that.. How much did having to bring in all that snow cost ? It was cost over run heaven for contractors etc.
NoWay: “Jack up the sales taxes 3% across the board and dedicate it to Education! There that was easy.”
Sure, make the teachers even more unpopular than they are now. And what about the next contract negotiation? Jack it up again?
Hard to take the teachers seriously when they’ve put picketing on hold so they can enjoy their 2 months of summer vacation……..
The Liberals have caused this strike. The mediators have refused to participate because the government has told them that they will not negotiate working conditions. This would have been over a month ago if it were just about wages.
Whatever it takes JB! They can find the money just like they do for all the other contracts.
@moose: So judging by attendance at these rallies and lack of any picketing so far “in a fashion that works for them” appears to mean when their vacations are over.”
The Superintendent for SD 57 CANCELLED summer school because too few kids fit the requirements as laid out by the LRB. There was no need to picket those school sites. As for the other school district sites, the teachers could picket there, but it would only be interfering with the work of the CUPE and maintenance workers in the district, causing them to lose wages unnecessarily. Workers strike during the time when they would normally work – mill workers need only strike when the mill is operational – so why should teachers be expected to strike during the summer when there are no classes (work) scheduled?
There’s less people picketing.. Getting less and less… Heyyyy maybe the rest are out fire fighting.. You know… for the kids…. save the trees for paper later???
Comment Posted by: JohnnyBelt on July 15 2014 3:11 PM
I see the usual sign about doing it for ‘the kids’, but where’s the sign telling people how much their demands will cost taxpayers?
I say cut your pension JB. I’m tired of paying taxes on you.
Put it into the kids now so they can all earn more money to pay for the politician, RCMP pension while the governments throw your money away like it grows on trees. BC hydro, BC rail, Fast ferries, Winter Olympics. But you are worried about what it cost tax payers to increase funding for the kids.
um your comment speaks volumes of your of a narrow mind.
Thank you Johnny Belt , very well said , I hope the teachers move on to other places and then maybe there will be only the Liberal left overs to teach the Children and how I feel sorry for them .I feel positive they will learn to lie . To the teachers who voted Liberal you got what you deserve to those who didn’t may God bless you and move on .
NoWay: “Whatever it takes JB! They can find the money just like they do for all the other contracts.”
Oh! So you believe in the magical money tree. Just so you know, there is no money tree, only taxpayers. And they (we) are not a bottomless pit of money.
Fedup: “Thank you Johnny Belt , very well said , I hope the teachers move on to other places “
We have too many teachers as it is, but I don’t think many of them are going anywhere, because they’ve got it very good in BC.
57chevy: “I say cut your pension JB. I’m tired of paying taxes on you…. “um your comment speaks volumes of your of a narrow mind.”
You start by making very little sense with poor grammar and spelling, then you engage in an ad hominem attack. Not much else to say.
Question: Why aren’t the two parties talking? If the teachers care about the students then get back to the table. If teachers want public support then they better be doing more than showing up at the MLA’s office. Also I find it funny that unions almost always want someone else to solve their problems i.e. Binding Arbitration. Always remember people it does not matter which government party is in power, the tax payer pays the bills and that is what seams to be missing here.
Originally the sales tax was for the hospitals, then government took all the taxes and put them into general revenue. Before that when you paid your taxes for education, it had to go to education. Interesting but in those days even the premier had to have a full time job and people went into politics because they cared, now it is just another job with high wages, golden medical plans, and great pensions.
Don’t forget that your taxes also go to pay for the private schools, so the question could be, should public taxes support private schools?
The teachers union is asking for a percentage wage increase. If this was their only demand there would be a settlement yes.
But on top that they are asking for 225,000,000 cash per year for working conditions (x5 equals over a billion dollars) plus 225,000,000 cash as a one time payout, plus a 5,000 dollar signing bonus. This totals about 1.5 billion dollars on top of the wage increase. And this is not propaganda spewed by the government but straight off the BCTF website less than a month ago.
Maybe the teachers union need to go public on approving Northern Gateway as that is the only way the government can get the funds necessary for this 5 year term.
Yes greymare. It is legislated that every school aged child residing in BC must attend a classroom, thus the public purse pays for the child to attend not only public but private institutions as well. The funding is for the student not the facility, private schools do not receive facility grants like public schools.
57 Chev, pensions for ordinary Canadians are not paid by taxes. The CPP portion of your payroll deductions are invested and depending on how much you have paid into the system and for how long determines your rate when you reach retirement age. I am unsure if pensions for politicians comes from the same source or from the tax purse but I highly doubt JB was an MP or MLA
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