Striking B.C. teachers fight lockout pay cut at LRB

The union representing B.C. teachers is at the Labour Relations Board today arguing the government does not have the right to dock teachers' pay by 10 per cent as part of its partial lockout in the contract dispute.

The government announced the pay cut last week, saying that during any one-day rotating strike, the government would institute a partial lockout of all teachers, reducing their hours and duties and thus their pay.

The B.C. Teachers' Federation calls the pay cut a punitive action that is only escalating the dispute, but the government insists it's just applying pressure to reach a deal.

Lawyers from both sides are making their initial arguments on Thursday, but it is unclear how long the hearing will take.

Even though the  Labour Relations Board​ has not ruled on the pay cut, teachers in some districts had their pay cheques docked for the first time yesterday.

Government officials say the 10 per cent pay cut is saving the government more than $1 million per day during the partial lockout.

In addition, the rotating strike is saving the government another $16.5 million per week, because teachers are not paid at all for the days they are out on strike.

Meanwhile the rotating strike is already scheduled to continue next week, with another round of one-day strikes in each of the province's 60 school districts on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Extra-curricular events have also been cancelled at many schools, including a North Vancouver elementary school track meet scheduled for next Tuesday — the day North Vancouver teachers will be on strike next week.

Both sides appear to be making little progress toward a deal and remain divided over key issues such as wages, class size and composition.

Week 2 teachers' strike schedule

Monday, June 2

• #20 - Kootenay-Columbia
• #23 - Central Okanagan
• #27 - Cariboo-Chilcotin
• #35 -Langley
• #37 - Delta
• #38 - Richmond
• #42 - Maple Ridge
• #52 - Prince Rupert
• #59 - Peace River South
• #63 - Saanich
• #68 - Nanaimo
• #70 - Alberni
• #83 - North Okanagan-Shuswap

Tuesday, June 3

• #10 - Arrow Lakes
• #19 - Revelstoke
• #22 - Vernon
• #33 - Chilliwack
• #36 - Surrey
• #41 - Burnaby
• #44 - North Vancouver
• #45 - West Vancouver
• #46 - Sunshine Coast
• #57 - Prince George
• #58 - Nicola Similkameen
• #64 - Gulf Islands
• #71 - Comox
• #79 - Cowichan Valley
• #81 - Fort Nelson

Wednesday, June 4

• No rotating strikes

Thursday, June 5

• #8 - Kootenay Lake
• #34 - Abbotsford
• #43 - Coquitlam
• #47 - Powell River
• #50 - Haida Gwaii
• #51 - Boundary
• #53 - Okanagan Similkameen
• #54 - Bulkley Valley
• #60 - Peace River North
• #61 - Greater Victoria
• #69 - Qualicum
• #73 - Kamloops Thompson
• #84 - Vancouver Island West
• #91 - Nechako Lakes
• #92 - Nisga’a

Friday, June 6

• #5 - Southeast Kootenay
• #6 - Rocky Mountain
• #28 - Quesnel
• #39 - Vancouver
• #40 - New Westminster
• #48 - Sea to Sky
• #49 - Central Coast
• #62 - Sooke
• #67 - Okanagan Skaha
• #72 - Campbell River
• #74 - Gold Trail
• #75 - Mission
• #78 - Fraser-Cascade
• #82 - Coast Mountains
• #85 - Vancouver Island North
• #87 - Stikine

​School District #93, Conseil Scolaire Francophone, schools will be closed with others in their local communities throughout the week.

Click here for the Week 1 strike schedule.