Alberta Bureaucrats Betray Striking Teachers

On February 4, 2002 thousands of teachers across Alberta walked off the job demanding smaller class sizes and higher pay. The strike had the momentum of a run-away freight train. On the first day of the strike 4,800 teachers walked out; that number grew every day until 21,000 teachers were off the job. It was the largest teachers’ strike in Alberta’s history. Public support for the teachers was strong. On February 19, the striking workers organized a demonstration at the legislature that attracted thousands. Students, teachers and parents turned out to show their anger at the right-wing government’s neglect of the education system. Parents and teachers have been demanding better classroom conditions for over ten years to no avail. The long silent working class of Alberta is beginning to wake up. This is reflected in a series of militant strikes in the province; last year thousands of ambulance attendants won their illegal strike. But, the teachers’ dispute doesn’t have the same happy ending.

On Thursday the twenty first, Ralph Klein’s government declared a public emergency thus ordering the teachers back to their classrooms. Surely with such a militant mood and widespread support the teachers would refuse. Under the correct leadership the teachers could have soared to victory. Sadly the labour leaders had led them down a blind alley; they had no intentions of a real fight. They came out with phrases like “Teachers don’t break the law