October 6 - So it Begins - The Alberta Teacher Strike

[WinnipegFan]

So folks,

It start tomorrow and I figured it should be separated out of the Alberta Politics thread to avoid inundating htat thread with teacher strike talk. I for one and am happy to see the support for the teachers in Alberta. I know views are divided on CP as to why the strike is happening and why it shouldn't.

However, after the rallies yesterday and the outpour of support from small businesses and larger businesses for the teacehrs of Alberta I am hopeful, for the first time in a long time. However, I carry a lot of doubt that this government will do what is right.

It is my guess that they will use this to catapult their desire for the further privatization of education. Now anyone who has seen me post here knows that I have no love for our union and believe the school boards could be far better fiscally managed. This aside, the world of education as it manifests in Alberta is in dire straights and hte teachers are taking as tand for your and our kids.

I wish them all the best and I hope that cooler minds prevail and a solid result is achieved to help our students.

[PaperBagger'14]

I hope it’s a short strike and that our teachers see meaningful concessions from the government. Let’s get kids back in schools and get our teachers enthusiastic about their jobs again.

[Locke]

[DoubleK]

Ah yes the plight of overworked and underpaid teachers/nurses/posties/flight attendants/etc.

How are those union dues working out for you?

[gallione11]

[Dynamic]

I found it hilarious but also pretty telling when just days before the strike the government tried to make it sound like they didn’t know what the teachers wanted. What f***king rock does these politicians live under!? They have been asking for the same thing for years now. If the government gave them their much deserved raise and funded students at least to the national average that would be it.

It is pretty clear the UCP wanted this strike. They love division. They are giddy at the disruption. And if they can use this to funnel more money away from public schools this is just a means to an end. I emailed my useless red hat wearing MLA, probably a total waste of time.

[Dion]

[getbak]

I've heard they won't be picketing at any of the schools. Does anyone know where the main pickets will be in Calgary if we want to show our support?

[CactusJack]

There won’t be any pickets.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Ah yes the plight of overworked and underpaid teachers/nurses/posties/flight attendants/etc.

How are those union dues working out for you?

Grow up.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Ah yes the plight of overworked and underpaid teachers/nurses/posties/flight attendants/etc.

How are those union dues working out for you?

Educate yourself on the issues teachers face in the classroom

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Dion

Educate yourself on the issues teachers face in the classroom

Boo hoo.

If it's that bad take up a different occupation.

Good luck finding one with 10 weeks vacation, 6 hour days and a fat pension.

[SportsJunky]

I just got these goobers out of the house and back to school. Now I have them back and underfoot again while I try to work. Marlaina, get this figured out.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Boo hoo.

If it's that bad take up a different occupation.

Good luck finding one with 10 weeks vacation, 6 hour days and a fat pension.

Is it vacation if you aren't being paid for it?

Would you tell all the oil and gas workers who cry about pipelines being built to find a new career? I suspect you wouldn't.

Stop trying to be an edge lord and try to have a reasonable perspective, you're embarrassing yourself.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by AFireInside

Is it vacation if you aren't being paid for it?

Would you tell all the oil and gas workers who cry about pipelines being built to find a new career? I suspect you wouldn't.

Stop trying to be an edge lord and try to have a reasonable perspective, you're embarrassing yourself.

I don't see oil and gas workers holding parents and children hostage.

Try again.

There is nothing edgy about this. You don't like your job, find a new one. Don't expect taxpayers to foot the bill.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Boo hoo.

If it's that bad take up a different occupation.

Good luck finding one with 10 weeks vacation, 6 hour days and a fat pension.

Teachers are paid for the work they do in the classroom and not the time off they have. That doesn't include the evenings spent marking and grading papers or helping students after class.

Yes, there are teachers leaving the profession due to oversized classrooms and not having the resources to do their job. Province says they plan to hire 3,000 more teachers. Would it not be better to fix the issues as opposed to hiring more and the ones who are leaving.

All the polls show that parents are on the side of teachers in this strike. They support the teachers as they want a good quality education for their kids. Me personally I've never married and don't have any kids but I do support teachers in this case.

[5abi]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Ah yes the plight of overworked and underpaid teachers/nurses/posties/flight attendants/etc.

How are those union dues working out for you?

Which be immigrants basement do you rent ?

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

There is nothing edgy about this. You don't like your job, find a new one.

Perfect, they should just check the job postings of the other major employers of teachers. Oh wait, there isn't one. For good reasons ,as public education and health care crumble when there is a profit motive, so we have essentially a single employer, the government. Which is why they have a union.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

I don't see oil and gas workers holding parents and children hostage.

Try again.

There is nothing edgy about this. You don't like your job, find a new one. Don't expect taxpayers to foot the bill.

Ok so we can stop subsidizing Oil and Gas then? Great!

Since you didn't address it we can agree that it's not 10 weeks of vacation, ok great. We are also clear that you actually don't care about taxpayers because they subsidize oil and gas like crazy.

So we're just down to holding children and parents hostage. Ok so I'm curious why you have no criticism for the government who are clearly not bargaining in good faith.

Are you upset about the 400 million that goes to private schools in Alberta? If you care about taxpayers you should be. That 400 million would solve a lot of problems wouldn't it?

Try and be consistent with your concern about tax dollars because if you truly care about that, you'd be pretty upset with the UCP.

Embarrassing.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

I don't see oil and gas workers holding parents and children hostage.

Try again.

There is nothing edgy about this. You don't like your job, find a new one. Don't expect taxpayers to foot the bill.

Correct ne if I'm wrong. I get the impression that you think teachers should just accept whatever the province offers. Forget any strikes or job actions, just bend to the will of the govt.

As a taxpayer I expect my govt to properly fund education and more importantly the issue of class size. Given them the resources to do their job properly so students can learn. I don't think that's much to ask.

I worked in a Union shop before I retired and understand well why there is a dislike for unions.

Finally, I'm a lot older than most of the members on this forum. My education didn't have the issues teachers have today. My class sizes were under 30 and my teachers had the time and resources to help me when I was struggling.