B.C. teachers stage second week of rotating strikes as bitter dispute continues

VANCOUVER – B.C. teachers will stage a second week of rotating strikes as their union’s bitter dispute with the government drags on and families prepare for children being out of school yet again.

Every school in the province will be closed for a day — either Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday.

The one-day walkouts are part of the second stage of job action by teachers, leading the government to cut their pay by 10 per cent.

The B.C. Teachers’ Federation and the government’s negotiators are scheduled for a hearing at the Labour Relations Board on Thursday over lockout provisions.

The union has said up to 150,000 students are out of classes every day that teachers are off the job.

The government is offering a 7.3-per-cent wage increase over six years while teachers want 13.7 per cent over four years, as well as smaller classes and accommodation for students with various learning disabilities by specialist and resource teachers.