Teachers in the Coast Mountains School District (CMSD) will once again be on the picket line next week as rotating strikes across the province go into the third week and the ongoing dispute between province and teachers’ union continues.
A release this afternoon from the BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) outlines next week’s rotating strike schedule, with Monday the only day without picket lines scheduled. CMSD teachers will be on the picket line Thursday, June 12, with Nisga’a district teachers on strike Wednesday, June 11.
By the time area teachers hit the picket lines next week, there should be some indication as to whether or not a full-scale strike will take place in the near future, with teachers across B.C. voting on that measure Monday and Tuesday.
The rotating strikes taking place around the province for the last two weeks are phase two of the union’s job action plan. The union promised its members it would hold a separate vote before going forward with a full-scale strike.
Speaking yesterday, BCTF president Jim Iker said the union would need to give three days notice for a strike, meaning June 16 would be the first day of a full-scale strike if teachers vote to escalate job action.
And education minister Peter Fassbender said today that even if B.C. teachers walk out before they are locked out for the final days of the school year, final exams will be delivered and marked for graduating students.
The final day of school is June 27. It is not an instructional day and is a day for teachers to do any work needed to wind up the year.
