Dear Editor:
The B.C. job action continues to drag on without a definite resolution from either the government or the (B.C. Teachers' Federation) union.
After more than a year of negotiations, both sides still persist in the futile struggle to overpower one another while parents and students suffer the consequences. When we take a closer look, the answer is actually really simple.
The B.C. job action occurred as a result of an impasse over issues regarding pay. The teachers sought a 15 per cent raise over a period of three years while the government refused to grant any raise to the teachers.
This absolute denial from the government infuriated the teachers' union, which then initiated the B.C. job action. What's truly surprising, however, is not the job action itself, but rather how long it has carried on.
Job actions are not uncommon in B.C., but rarely have they ever lasted more than a school term.
The current job action has already prolonged for more than a school year, and still the teachers' union and the government have not reached an agreement.
So it is with this great frustration at the lack of progress in the B.C. job action that we, as the public, begin to think: Why has the government not managed to resolve a mere wage-issue in a the vital system of education?
People have wondered why the Liberals gave MLAs an increase of 29 per cent, with 54 per cent for the premier, but refuse to grant any raise to the teachers.
Of course there is the possibility that the 2008 recession may have caused the B.C. government to run short of funds to increase wages for the teachers, but according to financial research, B.C. seems to have had reasonably positive economic growth in the last year (above 2.5 per cent in 2011 with similar projections for 2012).
The economic recession may be partially responsible for the hold-up in job action resolution.
However, it seems likely that the government has also delayed the issue of teachers' wages because it now believes that disregarding education-related issues will no longer evoke alarm from the people.
We, as the public, must begin to express our concern for the current education system if we would truly like the government to take action and resolve this issue.
The youths of today will become the foundation of tomorrow, and if we truly wish to preserve and improve upon the strength of our nation, we must ensure a stable and efficient education system for the young generations of today.
So let us voice our opinions today and all help to create a better tomorrow for British Columbia.
Jacob Ma, via email
