[ZTWsquared]

meford4u,Mar 7 2006, 10:05 AM Wrote:I was only suggesting that they go out and get a job because this is more than likely ruining their school year.

Ruining their school year – my point exactly, My point about the job was that getting a job in this circumstance is a lot easier said than done – and even more so for a student who may or may not be going back to school at some indeterminate time in the future.

meford4u,Mar 7 2006, 10:05 AM Wrote:How long did you want them to negotiate for before striking?

Good question ... and the answer is easy -- at least until the students wouldn’t suffer mid year – so let’s say May or June. But wait, that’s the point of stiking now isn’t it? Make the students suffer and that puts more pressure on the colleges to give in. If this strike was really about a better education the teachers would wait until the end of the school year. As I said, actions speak louder than words here.

meford4u,Mar 7 2006, 10:05 AM Wrote:It is very unfortunate that the students have to pay for the actions of both the government and the union

“Unfortunate?” You’re being way too generous … you make it sound like it was an accident or something unintentional. It is neither – this is a calculated move designed to use the one group that isn’t at the bargaining table (the student/consumer) to further the goals of the teachers. If this was a lock-out I’d be just as critical of the government – and so would you.

meford4u,Mar 7 2006, 10:05 AM Wrote:I am not in favour of a strike

We agree here.

meford4u,Mar 7 2006, 10:05 AM Wrote:…, nor do I appreciate what the union AND government have failed to come to terms on an agreement.  There is always 2 sides to every angle and I see the Liberals at fault here.[right][snapback]173686[/snapback][/right]

I actually agree with you here too … but I don’t blame the liberals, I blame the confrontational method of determining the value of teachers and their work conditions. There should be no strike or lock out option.

Teachers need to paid according to their value – and IMO that means for the most part they need to be paid more and they should have a reasonable work load that allows them to provide a decent learning experience. There also needs to be fiscal responsibility – teachers, colleges and government – which needs to improve its funding of post secondary education.

But they should also be held accountable for their performance and for their actions – and there should be mechanisms in place to ensure that the better teachers are lauded and the poor ones forced to better themselves or get another job.

I’m not sure what these mechanisms look like (I have some ideas but no space here) but I can tell you what the system shouldn’t look like – it shouldn’t involve kids being forced to terminate their school year early because the teachers aren’t teaching.