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'No immediate school closures or disruptions to students' says NDTA president

Nelson Daily Staff
By Nelson Daily Staff
April 21st, 2014

The president of the Nelson and District Teachers Association said parents in Kootenay Lake School District No. 8 should not be alarmed by media reports during the Easter weekend announcing 72-hour strike notice by BC Teachers Federation president Jim Iker.

NDTA president Paul Boscariol told The Nelson Daily Stage 1 of the job action that begins Wednesday (April 23) would have “no immediate school closures or disruptions to students.”

“This first stage is administrative in nature only,” Boscariol said. “Teachers will continue to teach, write report cards, communicate with parents, and participate in their volunteer extracurricular activities.”

The announcement by the BCTF president last week was in response to slow progress at the bargaining table and some unreasonable demands by the employer that remain on the table.

“Parents should be alarmed by the constant downloading of costs by the government onto school districts, which ultimately have a direct impact on the education of their children,” Boscariol explained.

“That means smaller classes, more support for children with special needs, and more specialist teachers.”

Boscariol said the two sides continue to negotiate through the job action provided there is no escalation beyond Stage 1.

“Teachers remain hopeful that the government will come to the table with a realistic plan to bargain in good faith; that involves providing the necessary resources to negotiate a fair deal for teachers and providing better support for our students,” Boscariol said.

Boscariol said the mood of the NDTA is militant as evidenced by the overwhelming “yes” vote taken to strike in March. 

“We have continued to provide excellent service to our students in spite of working within a contract that expired in June 2013,” he said.

“That is a testimonial to the level of commitment of teacher in SD8.”

No one was available to speak on behalf of the Kootenay Lake School District due to the Easter Holiday weekend.

However, the district posted information regarding the Stage 1 Job Action by the BCTF on its website.

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