In the previous B.C. Liberal government, the government signed a six-year contract with a wage increase of 7.25 per cent over six years with the teachers.
The present B.C. NDP minority government signed a three-year contract with a wage increase of six per cent over three years.
There are 45,000 teachers in B.C. and only 31,838 voted on the new contract or 70.7 per cent which shows that the other 29.3 per cent are satisfied with just working and collecting their paycheques.
Using a teacher’s salary of $85,000 per year, for an example, under the previous B.C. Liberal government the wage increase worked out to $1,027 per year and under the present B.C. NDP minority government the wage increase will work out to $1,700 per year.
In Alberta, the government signed a two-year contract with the teachers with a 0 per cent increase over two years. Teachers voted 76 per cent in accepting a 0 per cent contract.
Amazing, one country and so much difference between B.C. and Alberta teachers. Alberta teachers know about the province’s finances in relation to taxpayer dollars, whereas the teachers in B.C. do not.
In Saskatchewan, the government signed a two-year contract with the teachers with a one per cent increase over two years.
In Manitoba, the government signed a four-year contract with the teachers with a nine per cent increase over four years.
In Ontario, the government signed a three-year contract with the teachers with a three per cent increase over three years.
In Quebec, the government signed a five-year contract with the teachers with an eight per cent increase over five years.
In Newfoundland, the government signed a four-year contract with the teachers with a 0 per cent increase over four years. The Newfoundland teachers federation stipulation is that all contracts with the government have to be in effect four years at a time.
In Prince Edward Island, the government signed a three-year contract with the teachers with a three per cent increase over three years.
In New Brunswick, the government signed a four-year contract with the teachers with a three per cent increase over four years.
In Nova Scotia, the government legislated a new contract for the teachers. The teachers had no say in the contract. The contract was for four years with a three per cent increase over four years.
The wage increase in B.C. is $1,700 per year, Alberta 0, Saskatchewan $425, Manitoba $1,912, Ontario $850, New Brunswick $637, Nova Scotia $637, Newfoundland 0, Prince Edward Island $1,700, and Quebec $1,360.
Teachers in B.C. are happy campers in relation to the teachers in the other provinces. In Canada, B.C. is the only province that presently has an NDP government.
In the 2016 census, B.C. had a population of 4,598,055 and Ontario had a population of 13,448,494. More taxpayers relates more money in taxes, but in B.C., the teacher wage increase is $1,700 per year with only one-third of the population of Ontario, and Ontario only gives the teachers a wage increase of $850 which, at present, shows the B.C. NDP minority government has money to burn. Proves that the NDP’s agenda is to keep unions happy with B.C. taxpayer money.
Remember taxpayers, teachers only work 181 days per year and receive 10 paycheques per year, whereas you and I work 234 days per year after taking 15 days of vacation per year.
Everybody must remember, that if you want the teachers to remain happy campers, it is going to cost you more in taxes, so do not ever complain.
Joe Sawchuk,
Duncan