This is from global news comparing salaries between BC and Alberta:
Once a teacher gets 10 years of experience, the differences in salaries appear more drastic between provinces.
In Alberta, teachers make $99,300 on average and B.C. teachers make about $81,500 after a decade of experience, which translates to a 60 per cent increase in salary in 10 years."
BC went through a lengthy strike, that lasted from May right through until the fall in 2014 while, teachers were telling us that they were doing it for the children. Students missed final exams, report cards, graduation, the start of the following school year and none of their classes were made up. When most workers were not even getting a wage increase, teachers were asking for 13% retroactive for four years, when they were already almost two years into the next contract.
The biggest problem is that too many older teachers should be retired. Something like only 15% of all union members even voted, and the younger teachers or part timers didn't bother. Then when the senior teachers retire, they get called back on contract because they go to the top of the hire board.
Whoever said that the union is too strong, is absolutely correct in BC. The new younger teachers just out of school with enthusiasm and excitement for teaching, have no chance to even get a job.
For the teachers that really want to teach, I have all the respect in the world. It is a difficult job, and especially today, with all the difficulties they face in mainstreamed kids. But there are too many that are putting in time, waiting for that pension. And believe me, they are not putting in four hours extra per day marking papers or doing reports etc. In BC ever teacher gets time during their work week to do all this.