B.C. teachers, students head back to class
About 600,000 students are heading back to school across British Columbia Monday morning, after their teachers voted to end a bitter two-week walkout.
About 30,000 of the 38,000 eligible members of the British Columbia Teachers' Federation voted on a mediator's package of proposals to end their illegal strike, federation president Jinny Sims announced Sunday night. The deal was approved by 77 per cent of those who cast ballots on the weekend.
The resolution has parents across the province breathing a sigh of relief, after scrambling to find alternate child-care arrangements during the strike.
Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com
"I get up at 3 in the morning and go to work," Maria Lutz told CBC News. "My husband waits till I get home; then he goes to work."
Glen Gustavsson is the father of two children, in kindergarten and Grade 2. "We've had a neighbour looking after our kids during the weeks," he said. "It's been really trying for us."
It hasn't been easy on some of the students, either.
"I miss all my friends," five-year-old Benjamin Engelbrecht told CBC News.
FROM OCT. 22, 2005: Union recommends teachers end walkout
However, many of the teachers won't be glad to return to the classroom, given what they feel they gave up to reach a deal.
"A narrow Yes vote means we're going back for our kids but we're not happy," music teacher Katherine Harris said before hearing the vote results.
Some of the teachers who voted Yes said they're content at the airing that the strike gave to their key issues, such as the demand to reduce class sizes.
"We've educated a government that needed to be exposed, and from that perspective, I feel really satisfied and proud to be a teacher," said elementary teacher Joan Storlund.
The settlement came after two weeks without salaries, as well as a court-imposed $500,000 fine against their union.
FROM OCT. 11, 2005: B.C. teachers defy court ruling
A B.C. Supreme Court justice declared the federation to be in contempt of court because of provincial legislation from 2001 that designated education as an essential service.
The teachers walked out after the provincial government of Gordon Campbell unilaterally extended their expired collective agreement until June 2006, with no raise. As well as salary improvements, they had been seeking limits on class sizes.
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