The cost of opposition could be a heavy blow for the B.C. Teachers’ Federation.
The union is expected to announce an action plan against Bill 22 as early as Tuesday and president Susan Lambert insists that all options — including illegal strike action — remain on the table.
But on Monday, Lambert admitted the union may not have the resources available to sustain a long-term radical resistance and the heavy fines that are sure to follow.
“Of course we can’t afford it,” Lambert said. “But that’s the question, isn’t it? That’s the moral choice that’s facing teachers. Either you stand up to an unjust law and knowingly take the risk, or you find other ways of resisting that unjust law.”
Less radical steps could involve teachers boycotting extracurricular activities at school or backing out of mediation.
“I am not prepared to predict the response of the members. It’s the teachers who will tell me what to do,” she said. “If the 41,000 members of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation decide to take the action to incur fines, then I will be incurring fines, I suppose.”
A group of teachers within the BCTF has reportedly been distributing pamphlets at the annual general meeting encouraging members to stage wildcat strikes.
The faction suggests teachers should again refuse to work if the government insists on levying fines.
In 2005, the BCTF was fined $ 500,000 for civil contempt after staging 10 days of illegal job action.
Local news from metronews.ca/vancouver
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