Why teachers go on strike

 

Cindy Lacroix and Laura Richardson, Garibaldi teachers picketing in 2005

I have taught for 30 years and have been on strike three times.  In an ideal world, there would be no need for such actions.  Employers would recognize the value of employees and their need for work conditions conducive to everyone's well-being and production.  Although money is often a significant factor in the motivation to walk the picket line, there are other important issues that need to be addressed.

For teachers, these issues include working conditions that facilitate the education of their students.  Every teacher I have known has a passion for helping children grow and being part of a system to develop the minds and bodies of our future.  It's about making a difference.  

Making a difference in the lives of our youth is difficult when teachers are taxed beyond their ability to manage.  Too many students in a class, too many individuals with special needs that require more help than a teacher can provide alone, and not enough support from supervisors, administrators, and board members in times of crisis.

Although I am not in favour of striking, I believe it is a necessity in order to provide a work environment that facilitates safety, support, and financial compensation for the time and skill sets held.  Teachers burn out, retire early, go on extended sick leave, or just quit altogether because too much is being asked of them.  Although money is a factor, in the end it is not enough.  Teachers need to be healthy to do one of the most important jobs there is.  

It's more than just money.  It's about the working environment, and it's for the kids.  Really.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Harjit Bahia - Science teacher and colleague from Garibaldi died August 2, 2024

Image
You will be missed Mr. Bahia.  You made a difference and we are sad you are gone. I keep in loose contact with my fellow retired teachers from Garibaldi Secondary School.  I talked with my long-time friend, Mike Lynch, today, and discovered that Hargit died over the summer.  Unbeknownst to him, he had an underlying heart condition and passed away after working out on his treadmill.  The date was August 2, 2024. I was shocked to hear this.  He was only 49 years old, turning 50 some 3 months later.  It was a shock to everyone, for he was loved by all who knew him.  As a teacher, Mr. Bahia was kind and fun.  He contributed to students in many ways and was always available to help those in need.   For myself, I knew him as a fellow science teacher and taught in the adjoining room to him.  He was always available to help, share ideas, and work together.  Easy to approach, I found that I could talk to him about anything and appreciat...
Read more

The passing of a generation

Image
Kathryn's mom and dad with our children, Josh and Leanne. A generation, for North America, tends to be between 20 and 30 years.  During that time a couple will give birth and raise children to see them repeat the pattern as they themselves have done.  Each generation has its own set of standards, values, and ideals based upon their experiences and culture, and some of that is passed down to their offspring.  What changes are the life experiences of the following generation and the new customs and ideals that are blended together as a couple becomes a family. Kathryn's mom passed away a few days ago, she was predeceased by her husband several years ago.  Both of them were the grandparents of my children, the mother and father of my wife, Kathryn.  It was my pleasure to know them and to love them as my own, for to me they were Mom and Dad.  And they were there to welcome my children into the world just as my children were with them in spirit when they left it...
Read more

I found a black widow spider in a plant pot today

Image
The spider I found is a western black widow spider, one of three species of black widow that occur in North America.  The fact that this one has another red patch on the back of its abdomen above the spinnerettes tells us that it is an immature individual. The one thing that people know about black widow spiders is that they are extremely poisonous.  Their venom is something like 15x more toxic than that of a rattlesnake.  The saving grace is that there is very little venom injected from a black widow bite than what a rattlesnake can deliver.   The good news is that black widow bites seldom lead to death.  You are more likely to suffer nausea, muscle pain, and swelling around the bite.  Symptoms usually last only 12 hours or so.  Death may be a result in people with compromised immune systems or in the very young or the elderly.   In 2018, it was reported that there were 1015 cases of people bitten by black widows.  Of those, there ...
Read more