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Government responds with lockout and salary reductions to BC teacher’s strike escalation

Education Minister Peter Fassbender. Global News

The BC Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) has sent a letter to the B.C. teachers union in response to the union’s escalation of strike activities.

The President of the BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) Jim Iker announced yesterday that the teachers are entering Stage 2 of the strike process, which will include four days of rotating strikes beginning May 26.

The BCPSEA letter says “contrary to [BCTF] comments, BCPSEA is responding reluctantly but given BCTF’s position BCPSEA has no option.”

Defined under  the ‘Salary and Work Reduction’ section, the letter states that effective May 26 and continuing until further notice, BCTF members will be locked out as described in the letter. The letter says a secondary school lockout will be in effect for June 25 and 26 with a general lockout happening on June 27.

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In addition to the lockout, BCPSEA says salaries will be reduced by 5 per cent for all employees in the BCTF bargaining unit who are scheduled to work, beginning May 26. And if the union moves to Stage 2 activities, the salary reduction will be 10 per cent. The 10 per cent wage cut will be effective the first day that the walkout affects any school.

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According to the BCTF’s twitter account, Iker will be responding to the “governments threats of wage rollbacks and lockouts” tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.

READ the letter in full

 

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