Like sharks attracted to blood in the water, a number of B.C.’s union bosses are now rushing in to join the B.C. Teachers’ Federation in its militant fight with the Liberal government.
The B.C. Federation of Labour and the Canadian Union of Public Employees have announced they’re joining the protest over Bill 22, the legislation that will block further teachers’ strike action and impose a cooling-off period.
The union rhetoric is the standard fare, with the Liberals accused of being confrontational and undemocratic.
The BCTF has been at the table with the government for nearly a year. It put forth utterly unrealistic wage demands, which overpower solutions to gain in other areas that truly do have something to do with education, such as addressing special needs in classrooms.
The BCTF and its brethern can lecture as much as they like about free collective bargaining. The fact of the matter is that the teachers’ union hasn’t seen the process work in a functional manner since the mid-’90s, while many others have, many times.
Given that history, the piling on now by the BC Fed and CUPE is disengenuous.
Bill 22 is not a threat directed at other public sector unions. It’s aimed at getting teachers back into the classrooms, where they need to be.
The escalating disruption in schools had to be dealt with.
Using that as an excuse, however, other public sector unions are now making ominous noises, hoping to leverage the government (taxpayers) to weaken, and agree to wage and/or benefit demands above the net zero rightfully set last year.
This is the last thing the province needs in a time of a seriously challenged economy – concocted, widespread labour strife.