By: karen

karen — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:28:22 +0000

I heard Kevin Falcon on the news early this morning (probably taped yesterday) saying they would not negotiate on their 0/0/2 “offer” because that would set a pattern for other contracts in or coming into negotiation. I say legislating this contract, which closes off the teachers right to strike, sets a pattern in the government’s favour when coming into these other negotiations. As someone else said yesterday- the inability to withhold your paid work is slavery.
The thing that drives me nuts is how people don’t see how this is all tied together. If the union wages and benefits can be driven down, how long is a $10 minimum wage going to look viable to the government? If teachers and nurses and hospital employees and government employees can be made to work even more with less, (and conditions have already been eroded badly since 2001) why wouldn’t they want grocery store clerks and gas station attendants take cuts too?
I am a union carpenter. I was out yesterday in support of the teachers and I will be again this evening and any other time they need me. I don’t want to race anyone to the bottom. I want my neighbours and my friends and the person who checks out my groceries to thrive dammit!

Comments on: BC Liberals Need To Stretch the Truth, They Already Know We Don’t Believe Them

By: karen