ETFO to contribute $1 Million to support striking British Columbia Teachers

TORONTO, June 19, 2014 /CNW/ - The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is contributing $1 million to the British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) to support their strike effort.

BCTF has been bargaining with its provincial employer association and the BC government since February 2013.  BC teachers have been without a salary increase since 2010 while most other provincial public sector employees have received cost of living increases.

"ETFO is standing behind the BCTF in its twelve-year fight against a government that refuses to respect decisions of the BC Supreme Court regarding stripping provisions from teacher contracts and refuses to address pressing classroom issues through the bargaining process," said ETFO President Sam Hammond.

"The issues that BCTF is fighting for—smaller classes, more specialist teachers to support student learning, and a fair salary—are also priorities for Ontario teachers and other education workers. It's vitally important to support our BC colleagues in their efforts against a government that continues to underfund public education and fails to respect and support its teachers," said Hammond.

SOURCE: Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario

Vivian McCaffrey, ETFO Communications and Political Action: Cell: 416-705-7975, [email protected]