I note that recently, several employee groups in B.C. have settled contracts with the provincial government - nurses, doctors and the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union, including modest increases in wages.
I find this particularly galling in that when the teachers were trying to negotiate an agreement, they were held to "net zero," threatened with severe penalties and generally publicly bullied by the government.
It may be argued that teachers' wage demands were excessive; however, that is what negotiation is all about. Groups start high, fully expecting to have to modify their demands. The government would not negotiate with B.C. Teachers' Federation at all, constantly bullied teachers and then used the old argument that the children were being made to suffer as a result of teachers' actions. I believe the children continued to get a quality education during this time, as teachers were not involved in extracurricular activities that have come to be expected, but are virtually given from teachers' free time.
The recently settled public employee group agreements were hardly mentioned in the media; however, when the teachers were supposed to be negotiating, the government was very high-profile, obviously trying to sway public opinion in its favour.
The result is that teachers now work under an imposed settlement. They are carrying the budget for education on their backs. There is no money for teachers because the government has underfunded education for years.
Lucille Longley
Sidney
