Teachers and the Province, A game of chicken?

Monday, October 17, 2005 04:45 PM

Who’s going to cough first , Premier Gordon Campbell or the BCTF?

If the matter of the teachers trying to have the province sit down and do some serious negotiating is to come to fruition, then it will take an independent third party to get both sides to the table.

Labor Minister Mike De Jong is a great guy for negotiations, problem is however that his chain is being pulled from the top and so meaningful talks must start there.

The province's population is evenly divided on the issue, support for the teachers at about 50%, opposed 50 %, that’s reason enough for them to continue with the strike.

The whole affair has the air of last years NHL player, owners strike. Who won that one in the end?

The issue is that the province, (namely the Liberal Party) is dead set against opening negotiations with the teachers, fearing that to do so will mean that the piggy bank will be opened to other labor groups in the province.

Bear in mind that as I write this piece, I am in favor of the teachers receiving a raise, so I am biased.

Remember that the doctors are just about to seek their piece of the pie in this province, the business community got theirs during the budget and it would seem natural that the teachers should (given their past contracts) receive their share. The problem however remains that Gordon Campbell has sent a message to his troops, let them yell, we’ll win in the end.

He may not.

I’m Meisner and that is one man’s opinion.

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Posted on Monday, October 17, 2005 04:45 PM in Views by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on October 17 2005 11:00 PM

Ben, I am disgusted everytime someone mentions doctors as if TEACHERS have anything in common with DOCTORS! If the need arises that a similar jobs be compared, please use something relavant like prison guards or social workers or the Raging Grannies, but not DOCTORS or engineers. The flights of fantasy and spin-dizzy craving for attention by TEACHERS even has gone so far as comparing this spat to the struggle of the black people against oppression and slavery, good grief Charlie Brown.
The TEACHERS feathers are all puffed up and they are all prancing around in circles and chirping at anyone that looks sideways at them. Let them stand around in the rain for awhile, that should about do it.

Posted by: Chester on October 17 2005 11:25 PM

Isn't this really just a power struggle between Government and BCTEU? It's not really about teachers and students? It's not really about class sizes and money?

Today, real authority comes from those who are using the law in this case. After all, we did participate in designing the laws to govern this country.

So, those who create the laws, or hide behind them, have the advantage for now. If you don't like the laws, you need to work within the stucture to change the process. It's not going to change by protesting or resisting the law. Is it?

Do we want every group who feels they have been treated unfairly by their employers to break the laws? I don't really think so. What do you think?

You don't need to choose sides in this issue, The real issue is this, do you support the idea that everyone break the law when they disagree with the way things are going? Chester

Posted by: rock on October 18 2005 7:00 AM

Yamadoopolcat,couldn't have said it better myself,Ms Simm get ready for a few nights in the crowbar motel.Sorry folks Gordo ain't backin down.The law is the law wether you like it or not.
ROCK

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on October 18 2005 7:33 AM

Chester like I said in other post - when you are boxed in it is time to think out side the box. The uinion really does have the children as hostages and it will stay that way until the government rescues them. The government has to open doors in the box to let the children escape the uinions. Leave the uions and teachers the box with nothing in it.

Posted by: ammonra on October 18 2005 10:34 AM

I don't see what's wrong about comparing doctors and teachers. Doctors have their bargaining agent (BCMA) and they get paid from the public purse (i.e. taxpayer's money) just like teachers do. They have also withdrawn services in the past, just like teachers have now. The Provincial Liberal Government has also shafted them in the past, just like they shafted teachers now. There are, in fact, many similarities. You may not like those facts, but there they are.

The easiest way to "open the box", as YamaDooPolCat recommends would be to start talking to teachers. Gordon Campbell's government is already negotiating with the BC Fed, by all accounts, so including teachers in those talks would be the simplest and most natural course of all. That, however, would require an act of leadership by Mr. Campbell, and I frankly do not believe he is capable of it. I am beginning to think that this province is heading for some serious trouble in the not to distant future unless someone in the government gets their head out of the sand.

According to the latest objective polls, public support for teachers is clearly growing, so the majority of taxpayers are willing for their money to be spent. I see no reason why our servants, Liberal MLAs, cannot submit to the will of the majority of us and settle this dispute reasonably.

Posted by: thales on October 18 2005 10:38 AM

Even though the liberals sit in the house, public opinion suggests that the government better change it's tactics.

The smoke screen of law that it can produced at the drop of a hat, helped many realize, what a underhanded and coniving goverment has been elected.

This is the open government that Campbell likes to talk about.

It can produce all kinds of smoke, so that we are blinded, until the people wake up and recognize "the truth" can be set free.

Posted by: duffer on October 18 2005 5:52 PM

Perhaps we should go back to the N.D.P., so they can chase all the bad big business away. What people don't realize is that it takes big business to provide the jobs for the general public so we can pay the teachers and doctors and every other public servant with our taxes. If there are no people living in the province there are no taxes being paid. This is definitly a power struggle between the teachers union and government. Whoever thinks it is to help the students had better think this through some more.

Posted by: acrider54 on October 19 2005 7:08 AM

Sure Rock, lets throw Jenny in jail for fighting for a fair contract and the right to bargain, while the courts set free drug dealers, murderers and child molesters.

Posted by: rock on October 19 2005 2:42 PM

acrider54,you see it as fighting for "a fair contract and the right to bargain"I see it as your leader being in contempt of court.I'm not going to change your way of thinking so enough said,you go back to your picket line and your union/labour movement and I will go back to my thing.
Rock

Posted by: acrider54 on October 19 2005 5:21 PM

Rock, Jenny Simms is not my leader and I am in no way connected with the BCTF. I just believe in collective bargaining being either private or public sector. Go back to "your thing" whatever that may be a be happy.

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on October 19 2005 9:22 PM

acrider54 (why 54?)Collective bargaining in private sector is OK, because the public at large does not suffer just those two parties knocking heads. Public sector or monopoly's bargining, definitely not! What price are you prepared to pay to prevent oil companies from going on strike if you believe that?
Public means a service beyond the individual good. That is why it is called a public service and not an employee service. Go back to "your thing" whatever that may be and be a happy acrider54.

Posted by: rurednex on October 22 2005 8:55 PM

Hey Yammadoonutjob
You do realize doctors (and enginqueers) were the result of teachers don't you? Maybe you are one of these self proclaimed "geniuses" of society.Hell you must be pretty smart to earn over $200,000 a year by pumping as many people through an office in a day as you can and usually misdiagnosing them anyways. Teachers were not in this for the money dimwit,5% a year for 3 years gimmie a break.They would be better off financially in the pulp mill.Better classroom conditions will help them teach your child to hone his arrogance skills that you will be providing the base for.Speaking of salaries I know several nurses who purchased large new homes, vehicles and several luxury items immediatly after their nice little increase, but I don't ever recall how much happier it has made them on the job, oh and they also had teachers getting them to this point.