When the B.C. Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) reached a tentative deal with the government Tuesday morning (September 16) that could end the three-month long teachers’ strike, they did what any student would do — they tweeted the news.
It’s just one of many ways teachers, their supporters and detractors, and the government, have been using social media to get their message across.
On Facebook, the teachers created a page that identifies about 200 businesses that have publicly expressed appreciation for teachers and – in some cases – offered them discounts on a range of goods and services, such as groceries, restaurant meals, acupuncture, yoga, art classes, kickboxing, shoe repairs and haircuts.
The page links to a map of the province showing the location of supportive businesses and urging teachers, family and friends to pay them a visit.
Teacher Yvette Dabbs, who helped create the Facebook post, describes it as “a page of positive action” on behalf of more than 40,000 public school teachers who have been on strike since mid-June.
Yinstill Reproductive Wellness is one of the companies listed because it is offering a free stress acupuncture treatment for teachers and support staff until the strike ends. Clinical director Dr. Spence Pentland said the feedback has been excellent, although few have requested treatment.
“This isn’t meant to be a political stance,” he said. “We just want to support people in need.”
At the same time, other teachers are targeting businesses they deem to be unfriendly. In particular, they’re taking aim at members of the Coalition of BC Businesses, which recently won intervener status in a crucial court battle over class size and composition.
The coalition is backing the government’s appeal of a B.C. Supreme Court ruling that restored the right of the BCTF to bargain class size and composition, saying that decision could cost the province many millions of dollars.
“The Coalition of BC Businesses is compelled to stand up for the 50,000 employers and 500,000 employees we represent,” chairman Mark von Schellwitz states in a release on the coalition’s website.
“If the ruling is allowed to stand, our government will be required to either raise taxes, return to deficit spending or cut vital social services. This will reduce British Columbia’s competitiveness and will have a negative impact on our economy and on the employers and employees we represent.”
The B.C. Court of Appeal granted the coalition limited intervener status last week, saying the perspective of small and medium-sized businesses may be of assistance when the court hears the case next month.
That sparked an outcry on social media, with teachers and their supporters distributing a list of coalition members and calling for a boycott of their businesses. “I won’t support companies that engage in this interference,” one teacher posted on Twitter. Another sent messages to individual businesses asking: “Why should you have a say in public classroom learning conditions? Please explain.”
As well, more than 700 people had signed a petition as of Monday afternoon saying they would blacklist all member businesses unless the coalition drops its plan.
Such pressure prompted several businesses to deny any tie to the initiative. White Spot, for example, posted a statement September 14 on Facebook stating it is not a member of the coalition, although it is a member of Restaurants Canada, which is part of the coalition.
“We want our valued guests to know that White Spot has not had – and will not have – any involvement in the Coalition of BC Business’s application for intervener status in the upcoming appeal . . .These are complex and difficult issues that are far beyond our scope. The focus of White Spot staff and management remains on running our award-winning restaurants.”
The Oak Bay Beach Hotel in Victoria issued a similar statement. “As a hotel company, we take no position in the teachers’ dispute with their employer except to say that we hope it is settled soon.”
The BCTF said it isn’t involved in either campaign.
