Schools empty and behind picket lines as ‘job action like no other’ by teachers hits town

By MICHELE YOUNG

Kamloops schools were empty except for principals and vice-principals, students stayed home and teachers held picket signs as the B.C. Teachers’ Federation’s rotating strike rolled through town Wednesday.

School District 73 Supt. Terry Sullivan said pickets were up outside the board office on Ninth Avenue, as well as across the street at South Kamloops secondary.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had issues with picket lines. People are doing what they need to do. It had the effect they wanted it to have: no one’s at work,” he said.

All district schools were empty except for principals and vice-principals. Sullivan said a cell phone network was set up because some schools don’t have vice-principals, which left principals in those schools alone.

This job action is different than others in the past in that the B.C. Public School Employers Association (BCPSEA) is taking steps for every action the B.C. Teachers’ Federation initiates.

That means the teachers face consequences such as a 10 per cent cut in pay this week for their side in escalating the job action.

“This is not going to be a job action like any other before,” he said, predicting it will escalate rapidly because of the reactionary steps being taken.

“The job action of two years ago is so fresh in everyone’s minds, I don’t think there’s a tolerance for it.”

Added to that is the fact the provincial government is just a year into its mandate. Sullivan predicted there won’t be a legislated end this time. But the government wants an end to it, so it’s reacting to every action on the teachers’ part.

“The teachers have a case for higher wages, but you have to have a bank of goodwill out there,” he said.

“It’s a sad statement that we can’t find a better way of dealing with it.”

The teachers’ actions are putting pressure on the administrators, but it’s not affecting the decision makers in Victoria, he said.

“The pressure’s all here,” he said.

Despite the dispute occurring at graduation time, grad ceremonies are not being cancelled. Sullivan said teachers are welcome to participate, but it’s their choice. Regardless, the events will go ahead, such as the grad in Barriere Friday night.

“I don’t want any student to look back in 15 years and say ‘We didn’t have a grad because of a teachers’ strike.’ Every high school is going to have a grad.”

District honours students are still being celebrated at a reception tonight (Wednesday), regardless of the teachers’ strike.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t impacts. While cancelled field trips will be a disappointment, Sullivan is more worried about special-needs students.

June is the time when education plans are made for special-needs students and the composition of classes for September is done. With teachers and principals not communicating with each other, those tasks are in question.