CUPE joins BCTF on protest line
By Annie Gallant
Oct 19 2005
While the rhetoric rages in the provincial legislature, more and more union members are joining the teachers in their protest against the legislation that imposed a contract extension until the end of the current school year with a continued wage freeze.
CUPE members joined the B.C. Teachers Federation members on the protest line throughout the north Tuesday.
“We’re here to support the teachers and collective bargaining,” said CUPE member Carol Lind. “Strike down Bill-12 and negotiate.”
Fellow CUPE member Ron Thompson was just as vocal about his feelings.
“I believe this government is drunk on power and responsible citizens have to stand to protect our freedom,” Thompson said. “The government has legislated that away.”
Teachers on the protest line spoke of their appreciation of all the support the entire community has shown them.
“We’ve been out here all along and the support of the parents and the public has been overwhelming,” said BCTF member Donna Bell.
Local BCTF president Brian Kennelly was pleased the 150 CUPE members in Quesnel chose to support them. “It shows they are solidly in support of us,” he said.
On Monday, the B.C. Public School Employers Association were back in court asking the judge to impose a substantial fine on the provinces’ striking teachers for their continued defiance of a back-to-work order.
“We are not happy that we are in contempt of court, but we find that the use of legislation by the government to impose its will is more contemptible,” Kennelly said. “We want to see an end. We want to get back to the classroom. But we’ve had four years since the government took away our right to bargain.”
President of CUPE local 1050 and regional vice-president of CUPEBC Dan Weiman said his members unanimously supported Tuesday’s job action.
“It’s people’s right to free collective bargaining, access to strike pay, speak freely and be members of an association,” he said.
Before joining the protest line, Weiman spoke to his members’ management to let them know what was going on and to ask which services needed to be kept running.
Both Kennelly and Weiman expect the situation to escalate if the dispute is not resolved soon.
“I would hope this doesn’t have to come to a general strike,” Kennelly said. “I’m quite sure if the Federation of Labour and its affiliated unions feel a general strike is needed to make it happen, they will do it.”
