Militant/Dennis King

Rally in Vancouver, British Columbia, October 21 backing teachers on strike.

BY NATALIE DOUCET  
VANCOUVER, British Columbia—“We didn’t get what was absolutely necessary,” Jinny Sims, president of the British Columbia Teachers Federation (BCTF), told a crowd of thousands of teachers gathered for a rally and contract vote here October 23. “But we made [provincial premier Gordon] Campbell come to the table and make a compromise.” Teachers voted 77 percent for the offer, ending the two-week strike. The union had recommended approval of the contract, which does not include guarantees on class sizes.

The 38,000 teachers walked out October 7 for a wage raise and a limit on the increasing size of classes. They struck after the provincial government announced it would extend a contract it had imposed on them in January 2002.

“We were out for two weeks in an ‘illegal’ strike and we stuck together even though we didn’t get everything we wanted,” Michael O’Neill, a teacher, told the Militant. “It’s a victory. We had a lot of support. We represented the anger and frustration of people in this province.”

Thousands had rallied October 21 to back the striking teachers. The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which called the rally, said between 5,000 and 7,000 workers attended.