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Teachers walking out Monday

At a press conference held this morning at the BC Teachers' Federation's Vancouver headquarters, union President Susan Lambert revealed the teachers had given their formal two-day notice of a strike to the BC Public School Employers' Association at 6 a.m. this morning, allowing them to walk out come Monday, March 5, for a maximum of three days. The teachers' plan to stay out for all three days.

In a press release issued shortly after their morning news conference, Lambert noted: "Teachers take this step very reluctantly. We articulated our objectives as clearly and respectfully as we could, but unfortunately we were pleading to deaf ears. The bill tabled on Tuesday was a sign of the appalling disrespect for the profession of teaching, for students, and for public education in BC."

Despite the absence of teachers in B.C. schools on Monday, Education Minister George Abbott has assured parents that the schools will remain open.

In the meantime Lambert is urging parents not to direct their anger and frustration at teachers but at the government, asking them to "contact their MLAs, Education Minister George Abbott, and Premier Christy Clark to urge them not to impose Bill 22 but rather to negotiate a fair agreement with teachers and invest in public education to meet diverse student needs."

Earlier this week the Labour Relations Board ruled the teachers could walk out for a maximum of three days initially, and then once every five school days until a settlement was reached. However Bill 22, which hasn't passed the legislature yet, puts hefty fines on individual teachers and the BCTF for strikes.

Katie Hyslop reports on youth and education issues for The Tyee and The Tyee Solutions Society.

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