Editor:
School started on Tuesday and that can mean only one thing... the teachers have announced they are taking job action. What a way to frustrate parents!
I have read many articles supporting and defending both sides and while I can see good points from both, I am still angry and frustrated with the union the teachers belong to.
I have based the following calculations on the average base salary of teachers in B.C. When looking at the numbers, it is hard to support the financial demands made by the teachers. There are a minumum 194 days of work for teachers in B.C. With the starting salary of $47,000, this works out to $243 per day. That sounds like a fair wage to me considering a new teacher has little experience. Yes, I am aware that they need 5 years of university.
Perhaps teachers should sit back and look at the big picture. They have a Monday-Friday job, a week (or two) off at spring break, eight weeks vacation in the summer and one week break at Christmas. Other professions that require the same years of education are jealous.
While I understand that the teaching profession is very demanding and exhausting, I must point out to teachers that they chose this profession. They knew the challenge going in and still accepted it. At any time should they consider the challenge too much, they are free to find another profession.
Let's hope that the distruption is minimal and that a settlement is reached quickly.
May White, Abbotsford