As BC teachers prepare to vote on escalating job action and a potential full-scale strike this week, BC Teacher’s Federation President Jim Iker announced rotating strikes will continue.

“BC teachers remain committed to negotiating a fair and reasonable deal that provides better support for our students,” said Iker. “It’s time for Premier Christy Clark to provide the employer with new funding that will help bring the two sides closer together on class size, composition, staffing levels for specialist teachers, and wages.”

The Philippine Women Centre of BC released their own statement in solidarity with the BC Teacher’s Federation. “While the B.C. Teachers’ Federation and the B.C. provincial government continue their contract negotiations, the Philippine Women Centre of B.C. stands squarely behind the rotating walkouts of teachers. They back their demands for higher wages, including the issues of class size, composition, and staffing levels.”

The statement continues to comment on the trend towards neo-liberal globalization that has put the working people, including B.C. teachers, on the defensive by reducing past gains that had been won through hard struggle and committed actions.

“The assault and offensives by employers all over the world against the working class peoples have been most pressing in the past several years. As global capital tries to recover and accumulate from the current economic stagnation, there will be more confrontations of this type against the working people of the world.

The decision by B.C. teachers to challenge this assault on their rights and hard-won gains is, therefore, noteworthy and deserves the support and solidarity of all working people. Their demand for higher wages and a return to class size and composition are immediate issues that could help improve general working and living conditions. Most importantly, the rotating walkouts show that the working class continue to resist the attacks of the neoliberal agenda of globalization, and aspire for a better future.”

 Learn more about the Philippine Women’s Centre of BC at www.facebook.com/counterspinpwcbc to learn more. To follow the BCTF’s rotating strike schedule and other negotiation updates, visit  bctf.ca.