About 30 teachers, parents and kids took part in a rally for public education at the Highway 17 overpass in Ladner on Thursday afternoon.
The event was quickly put together following word this week the B.C. Teachers' Federation will continue their province-wide one-day rotating strikes next week. All public schools will be closed again for one day throughout the week, except Wednesday, with Delta schools to be behind picket lines Monday, June 2.
One of the participants in the rally, Delta parent and teacher Kathie Morrison, said teachers are now being penalized with completely unjust wage cuts for taking part in a rotating strike this week, even though teachers regularly put in extra time for students. She noted she, as an example, put in hundreds of volunteer hours for her school play.
In an effort to put more pressure on government, as contract talks drag and a bitter war of words continues, teachers began a series of rotating strikes this week with Delta schools shut down on Wednesday. Next Monday's strike will be the second and there could be even more if the heated contract dispute continues.
"Teachers in our community, like teachers across B.C., don't take this job action lightly," said Paul Steer, president of the Delta Teachers' Association, in a statement Thursday. "As teachers, we care deeply about our students and we empathize with parents who have to re-work their schedules. Many of us are parents too, and that is one of the reasons we are taking this action."
Steer said teachers are forced to step up job action because they've been at the bargaining table for 16 months and the provincial government and the B.C. Public School Employers' Association still refuse to offer any improvements to class size, class composition, and other important learning conditions for students. On top of that, the employer's wage demands are unfair, especially considering that the last time teachers got a raise was July 2010.
Delta class sizes are already above provincial averages in all elementary school grades, and with almost 11 classroom teachers cut for next year, they're expected to be even larger, Steer said.
An advisory to parents by the Delta school district notes that, at this point, no further strike dates are set, however, the BCTF has said further dates are dependent on progress at the bargaining table.
"The Delta school district acknowledges that our teachers are participating in a legal strike. We appreciate these situations can be difficult; however, we remain committed to providing the best learning environments for our students."
In response to teachers launching rotating strikes, the BCPSEA, the body negotiating on behalf of government, fired back with a partial lockout and a pay cut for teachers who participated.
The lockout restricts teachers from working during recess or lunch hour, or from arriving at school any earlier than 45 minutes before classes start, or staying 45 minutes after they end.
Steer expressed concern about the potential impact of the lockout on teacher-employer relationships. "The lockout is damaging to the previously good working relationship between the Delta school district and the teachers they employ. It is very tense in our schools right now due to the confusion created by the employer's partial lockout of teachers," he said.
According to the Ministry of Education, nothing in the partial lockout order prevents individual teachers from discussing student needs or concerns with parents, students, their colleagues or school administrators.
As far as preventing teachers from participating in extracurricular activities, such as graduation ceremonies, awards ceremonies, sports events and year-end celebrations, the province notes extracurricular activities are not considered paid work and teachers do this of their own choice.
Teachers are welcome to continue their involvement with any extracurricular or volunteer activities of their choice, the ministry says, adding if teachers refuse to attend, they do so by their own choice or the encouragement of their union.
Meanwhile, on Thursday the BCPSEA and teachers' union presented their argument on the 10-per-cent wage reduction penalty for teachers in front of the Labour Relations Board. The LRB decision won't be released until next Wednesday.
