Parents, teachers and supporters took to the Highway 17A overpass in Ladner last Thursday to get their message out to passing motorists.
Several teachers accompanied by their kids took part. One of them, Susan Hayne, told the Optimist her child had to accompany her for a while on the picket line when the provincewide rotating strike hit Delta for the first time last Wednesday.
She said other teachers have been forced to leave their kids unattended at home or find friends or grandparents who were available if the kids were simply too young. She added daycare space in the district was jammed full.
The public is invited to another rally planned for the overpass tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. Delta Parent Advisory Council chair Keith Punshon told the Optimist he's received only a few complaints from parents at his children's school, Devon Gardens Elementary in North Delta, but he expects that will change if the job action continues much longer.
"I know a lot of parents that took the day off and had a day with the kids. If it becomes a regular thing, it will impact families financially. We're still early and don't know what's going to happen beyond this week," he said.
Punshon said his oldest child is in high school so was able to look after his two elementary school kids for a while, and then he was able to get off work early because he's self-employed.
He said there's a great deal of uncertainty among parents regarding how school events such as carnivals and sports days will be impacted.
At last weekend's B.C. Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils annual general meeting in Richmond, suggestions were raised about a "parent strike" in response to the bitter contract dispute.
The B.C. Teachers' Federation's Glen Hansman, who spoke at the AGM, said the two sides are not that far apart, adding it's possible to get a deal done by the end of June, possibly as early as next week.
However, Education Minister Peter Fassbender would later tell the media the two sides aren't close.
