Are Teachers Planning to Strike?
Elena Smith
On March fifteenth, the B.N.T.U. will issue a counterproposal to G.O.B., which is expected to be discussed in cabinet. But the firebrand union is monitoring the situation very closely and has developed a plan of action. The green B.N.T.U. T-shirts will be worn on days when teachers report to school. There will be a series of social media updates and simultaneous motorcades next week, candlelight vigil and a series of other activities leading up to a press conference on March twenty-sixth, the same day the budget will be presented at the House. But will the teachers strike? Here’s how Senator Elena Smith responded to that question.
Senator Elena Smith, National President, B.N.T.U.
“As a union, we do not instruct our teachers; our members instruct us. And so as the president, I have no choice but to go to the mandate of the majority of our branches. So we have ten branches, once six branches say we will do X, we have no choice; the other four has to follow behind and do. And so we have agreed on a series of activities for right now and our teachers know and I guess people know that when they see those green shirts coming out, they know that something’s happening. So something might be happening.”
Duane Moody
“So strike action senator?”
Senator Elena Smith
“Well I don’t know. We are just starting out Duane. We have to go back to our people, inform them of what the decision is, see if there is going to be counterproposals. So we have to have activities to match what is going on. And depending on what they give us, we want to see what will be presented in the House on that day. And so we will be using that to speak to our teachers via press conference. We have been known as a union that stands up for everything and we are not cowards. There are times when people don’t understand the way we move, because people don’t understand our constitution and how we operate, our procedures. But when we get to that point where our teachers have given us a mandate, then it is straight shooting from there. There is no turning back. Once we get to that point, there is no turning back. And I will tell you this, that once our teachers get to the point where they have had enough, it doesn’t matter if it is the government that they support or not, our teachers will come out – red, blue, green, yellow – they will come out. So as leaders that is the reason why we have to be very – I don’t want to say careful – but we have to ensure that we follow proper procedures and that when we act, the timing is right.”
