Open letter to MLA Teresa Wat, I am compelled to write to you regarding the breakdown of negotiations of the contracts for Richmond School Districts CUPE 716 support staff.
As a school district employee, I do not want to strike, but I feel I need to support our negotiating team in what I feel are reasonable requests for the ongoing struggle to have a fair collective agreement.
I love my job and I enjoy working and supporting the children in our district and have been an advocate for our children for many years.
My advocacy started before I was an employee, but as a parent who was proud of the educational staff and goals in our district. I am still proud of what is accomplished in our district.
I am asking that you urge Premier Christy Clark and the people responsible to return to the negotiating table with fair, reasonable requests.
When the government asked us to come back with cost savings, we did but they did not respect this because when they returned to the table, they did not come back with anything.
We have not had a pay increase since 2009. Prior to this, it was one per cent (2006), 0.5 per cent (2007) and 0.5 per cent (2008), while the cost of living has increased at a pace at least triple this.
We also showed our faith in the government in the last negotiations by accepting concessions and deferring any pay rises as we understood that our economy was struggling and wanted to do our part to help. We can't do this anymore. Our requests are reasonable.
When I continually see our taxes used to give corporations like TransLink pay raises for inadequate support in our communities, I have to shake my head and ask why we are struggling so much.
When I see that our gas prices are the highest in North America, I shake my head again. These things help me to stand firm in supporting our union leaders.
When I look at all my fellow employees and what they face every day in their schools, I stand firmly behind my union representatives. When I see my municipal and provincial taxes rise every year, I support my union.
Our representatives are prepared to return to the table but not if the government is unprepared to negotiate fairly and with reasonable concessions.
Please help us continue to work in our schools by supporting our requests for fair pay increases, no more cutbacks and respect from the government.
I want to continue working, I don't want to strike, but at this point that seems to be my only option.
Ingrid Trouw
Business Assistant, JN Burnett Secondary School
