The Teachers Are Out For Us—We Should Be Out For Them !!
The teachers are out for all of us. Their strike is now a battle for the very right to strike in British Columbia, both for public sector and private sector workers.
It’s a fight for all of our children’s future, and a fight to ensure that public education survives the Liberal campaign of privatization.
If the teachers win, we all win. If the teachers lose, we all lose. That’s why today’s action by CUPE is so important, and such a real example of practical solidarity. That’s why we have to take today’s unity and militancy, and spread it everywhere. To win, we need to force the Campbell government to repeal Bill 12. We can only do that all together, in the streets!
Nothing will force the Liberal government to back off except widespread job action. We’re not talking about one-day protests, either, but of escalating and sustained job action. The need for a general strike has never been greater. We need to prepare it now, by reaching out to every working person willing to help the teachers win.
Yesterday’s shameful betrayal by the BC Fed officers, who refused to build today’s action, cannot be allowed to blind us to the fact that thousands and thousands of working people across B.C. are itching to find a way to defeat this hated government. And it can be defeated, but not by the teachers alone. It can be defeated, if today is the beginning of job action and not the end. It can be defeated, if we leave this rally, and go back to our towns and workplaces determined to organize a full B.C.-wide shutdown next week. It can be defeated, if we prepare, quickly, for a full shutdown of workplaces across B.C. in support of the teachers and in opposition to Bill 12. The public support is there. The anger is there. The determination is there.
If we can match the teachers’ courage with our own, and take the only step left to us—a full and unlimited general strike—we can shut it down and we can win!!
Solidarity Caucus
solidaritycaucus@shaw.ca
(604) 254-1421