Should teachers have the right to strike?

Great Debates
1

There is currently debate in Canada about blocking public school teachers from striking.

In Canada all public school teachers are unionized, I have no idea how it is set up in the US (any one care to shed some light?).

I support this move by the government fully but I’m looking to hear the other side of the argument. I have several friends that are public school teachers and not one of them seems to be able to put together a reasonable response. It mostly boils down to, “if you don’t think we should strike, then we are important, and deserve more money.”

While it is true that teachers are important and deserve more money, I don’t believe that striking is the way to achieve that goal. Its a case there the ends doesn’t justify the means. The strike hurst the students and parents far too much. The best example is grade 12 students trying to apply to university and for scholarhips. If teachers strike and they can’t submit their marks by the university’s deadline, the student suffers.

Keep in mind that his legislation is not removing their right to collective agreement. It is meant to promote negotionations, and move towards arbitration, while stoping them from “working to rule” and then striking. The legislation has yet to be finalized so there is little other information that I can provide.

2

Most of the public school teachers, if not all, in the US are unionized with the right to strike. I don’t see the harm, days missed are made up at the end of the school year. Different school districts let out at different times here anyway, and for the most part, you are accepted for the Fall Semester at college before the end of your final high school year anyway. So no worries about that.

Independent arbitration is probably a better way to go in terms of efficiency, but I’m not a labor expert so I can’t tell if that really hurts the teachers.

3

Well really we’re dealing with the Ontario teacher Union in this case. The issue arises from annual pissing contests between the Provincial government and the teacher’s unions. The work to rule tactics effectively removing everything aside from class work.

Personally I’m tired of teacher’s unions trying to set educational agendas through the threat of a strike. Since education is mandated as necessary by the province then the service should be considered essential. If it’s an essential service the right to strike should be removed as it has been for other essential services. The end result likely being arbitration when negotiations inevitably fail.