The BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) officially served School District 51 Boundary (SD51) with strike notice on Aug. 31.
As a result, the Boundary District Teachers’ Association (BDTA) commenced job action as of 7 a.m. yesterday (Tues., Sept. 6).
According to a press release issued by SD51, the first phase of the strike will see teachers reducing some administrative services and no longer take on supervision responsibilities outside of instructional time.
“Teachers will be in the classrooms teaching, they will still be communicating with parents and some of the measures we’re taking are going to put pressure on school administration and district administration,” BDTA President Norm Sabourin told the Grand Forks Gazette prior to the start of the school year.
Sabourin said that the move was intended to pressure the employer’s association into bargaining in good faith and achieve a collective bargaining agreement both sides could accept.
Meanwhile, SD51 Superintendent Michael Strukoff said that the school district would ensure that there would be ongoing school for students and the health and well-being of students would be taken care of.
“We will provide backup supervision and we will ensure that our students are safe and classroom functions are going to continue on as normal,” Strukoff said last week, adding that excluded staff, such as principals, would have added responsibilities.
SD51 said that a letter was sent home with students yesterday, detailing the specific effects of job action.