Teachers' strike may cost picketers local support
By Kyra Hoggan
A three-day strike to begin next Monday may cost BC teachers the support of some local parents, as residents scramble to find childcare with less than 48-hours notice (not counting the weekend).
Jeanette Cook is a Castlegar mom with three kids, ages four, 12 and 13, who was supposed to start post-secondary school on Monday.
“Yeah, it’s a problem,” she said. “Cory (her four-year-old son) goes to a daycare that’s in a school, so they have to close, too.”
More than that, Cook’s 12-year-old son has Autism, and will be “really thrown for a loop” at the total disruption of his schedule.
“There are lots of special needs kids who are really going to struggle – that’s not fair,” Cook said. “And what about kids who are barely passing right now? They’re about to lose three days of instruction.
“I don’t think they (BCTF) really considered how this is going to affect other people.”
She said she’s very sympathetic to the plight of teachers, but there has to be an better way for them to make their point.
“I know the government isn’t being fair to them – like they ever will – but how does losing three days of school help children? I understand their position, and I think a lot of their issues will ultimately make things better for kids down the road – but this isn’t the way to make a point.”
She said the economic implications are huge – but less so for teachers, who will get strike pay.
“I sure wouldn’t get strike pay if I missed a day of work,” she said. “I’m lucky, I have a husband who works, but what about the single mom who is just barely getting by, and who has no family here to babysit – losing three days’ pay will really hurt her … and her kids. Losing a single day’s pay could mean no longer being able to feed her kids.”
She said that’s the kind of economic blow that could leave children suffering for a month or more, as parents try to recover from a financial hit for which they’re blameless, but will pay the price regardless.
She also said this will mean greater pressure on already over-taxed social safety nets like the food bank, while less discretionary income for parents will impact the whole community, as local businesses see a resulting drop in revenue.
“It’ll hurt the whole town,” she said.
She said a month’s notice would have made the whole proposition much more palatable, allowing parents to find alternatives, and daycare workers like those at Blueberry Creek School Community Hub, who are also losing three days’ pay, could have perhaps found other income options as well, like babysitting for daycare clients who will be left in the lurch.
What are your thoughts on the teachers’ strike? Leave a comment here, or vote in today’s poll.
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