Teachers Feeling The Pinch
Prince George, B.C. – Yesterday’s teacher’s rally outside the constituency office of MLA Mike Morris, was also an opportunity for teachers to pick up a cheque for strike pay.
While the BCTF had made it clear it’s bank account could not support strike pay (lots of money spent on court challenges) Ontario teachers sent along a healthy donation to prop up the BCTF coffers.
Prince George District Teachers Association President Tina Cousins says there’s no doubt about it, some of the teachers in Prince George are suffering financially “We lost wages in May and June but we feel the sacrifice is important for public education.”
Cousins says some local financial institutions have made special offers to striking teachers who are having difficulty making ends meet “Especially our new teachers, the ones who may not have the credit lines that others do, and maybe they’re new in teaching and they’ve only had part time jobs to begin with, so it’s difficult.”
Cousins says many members have taken on summer jobs to help pay the bills “We have members who say they would love to be at our rallies, but they can’t because they’re working for a roofing company, or a landscaper, or doing something else to make it work for their families.”
She says most families would be in a similar situation if they live pay cheque to pay cheque and found their June pay much lower than normal. Keep in mind that in addition to not receiving strike pay, teachers had their salaries rolled back by 10% to reflect the work they were not doing as part of their job action.
Cousins says the membership has been advised to talk to their financial institutions, to be up front about the situation, “because we don’t know what September is looking like at all.”
Teachers are hopeful the contract dispute will be settled with a deal worked out at the bargaining table.
Comments
Totally typical response, teachers must think the general public are a bunch of goofs. Not once in the letter did they mention the reason for a poor turnout just may have been that a good percentage of teachers are away on vacation enjoying the weather. Every job they are doing this summer is taking a job from someone who needs it to survive. Shame on you.
We’re all feeling the pinch these days. Suck it up. Teachers aren’t special.
Government is going to starve tehe teachers into a contract….
that is their way when they don’t get their way, it seems.
I don’t expect much to happen until late august, then teh government will go back to blaming the teachers for all the problems.
Meanwhile where is the government? on holidays?
Nobody gave me mortgage free for months when I was not working.
But think of the kids! lol
Do they understand that if the govt agreed to everything they are asking that your average taxpayer would have to pay over $1000 more in taxes every year? So for most families that’s over $2000 per year. That’s a lot of money over 6 years that I’m sure those families could use.
Meantime those who roof and landscape for a living have competition from part timers who make 70k+ per year already and want to pad their bank account while on vacation.
For the teachers who chose to be paid over the year instead of over the 10 months they are still being paid their full wages.
Teachers that chose to be paid over the 10 months still wouldn’t be being paid anyway.
The only ones hurting are the newer ones and the ones planning on EI in the summer, not sure if any of them were eligible considering they were on strike, so likely not but who knows. And yes some teachers do receive EI.
handycap, most banks will allow a missed payment or two (not missed, but added on to the end of the mortgage schedule), if you find yourself in some kind of financial hardship. this isn’t a special deal given to teachers, some banks do it, some don’t, but you have to go in, sit down, and meet with someone. also, siabiz, as far as I know, if a teacher doesn’t have a school to go to in the fall by the end of the school year, they are eligible for EI, because they effectively don’t have a job to return to. so, substitute teachers and teachers who worked limited duration contracts are technically eligible for EI, although most I know haven’t bothered to apply, as by the time everything is processed, many won’t see any assistance until school is back in session.
Posted by: mikmak on July 16 2014 8:37 AM
handycap, most banks will allow a missed payment or two (not missed, but added on to the end of the mortgage schedule), if you find yourself in some kind of financial hardship. this isn’t a special deal given to teachers, some banks do it, some don’t, but you have to go in, sit down, and meet with someone. also, siabiz, as far as I know, if a teacher doesn’t have a school to go to in the fall by the end of the school year, they are eligible for EI, because they effectively don’t have a job to return to. so, substitute teachers and teachers who worked limited duration contracts are technically eligible for EI, although most I know haven’t bothered to apply, as by the time everything is processed, many won’t see any assistance until school is back in session.
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Yes, banks aren’t stupid, greedy yes, but stupid no. They’d lose out in the end if they foreclosed for a missed payment.
As for EI, if you’re on strike or locked out chances are, you can’t collect EI.
How many roofers make 73,000 a year plus a wonderful pension?
Probably the ones who re-roofed BC Place Stadium.
Also I would like to add that these are the same people teaching our youth to go and get an education so they can have a good job. The teachers that need financial aid are telling students how to create income. There is something wrong with this picture.
At that Income you depend on Strike Pay ?
I did 3 Strikes and 1 was 13 Weeks long, Strike Pay did cover nothing (maybe Beer)but my Savings payed for living!
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