Abbotsford News, March 09, 2012

Page 1

FRIDAY

MARCH 9, 2012

RALLY AGAINST EXPLOITATION

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End to teachers’ strikes?

Group stages event to draw awareness to issues involving children and youth A4

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One-day option not likely to be exercised in Mission

CLOCKS GO FORWARD A23 Daylight Savings Time goes into effect at 2 a.m. on Sunday

Tom FLETCHER and Vikki HOPES Black Press

Although the Mission school district is among those across B.C. whose teachers could exercise their option for a one-day strike next week, that is not likely to happen. The B.C. Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) has promised it will not strike for the first three days of next week, and Education Minister George Abbott said he hopes to have government legislation imposing a cooling-off period in place by Thursday, March 15. “It appears that schools will be open on Monday and that’s a wonderful thing,” Abbott said Thursday. “And barring some change of mind (by the BCTF), they will also be open on Tuesday and Wednesday.” Once the legislation is in place, it will be illegal for teachers to conduct any further strikes until Aug. 31. If they do, the BCTF would be subject to a fine of $1.3 million a day, as well as $2,500 a day for each BCTF officer who orders strike action, and $475 a day for any teacher who strikes in defiance of the legislation. The Abbotsford school district is not impacted by any job action that might occur next week. It is among more than half of the districts across the province that begin their two-week spring break on Monday. About 1,000 teachers across Abbotsford took part in the three-day province-wide strike at the beginning of this week, but returned to the classrooms on Thursday and Friday.

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ADDICTION ‘PANIC’ A5 Phase-out of heavily abused OxyContin will spell grief for addicts

COMMUNITY CHALLENGE A13 Registration for healthy initiative begins this Saturday

JOHN MORROW Abbotsford News

Terrel Bramwell and Mark Mullen of the Humber Hawks combined to block Andrew Keddy of the St. Thomas Tommies during the opening game of Canadian college volleyball nationals at Columbia Bible College on Thursday. Top-seeded Humber made short work of St. Thomas, winning in straight sets. The tournament continues Friday and the bronze and gold medal games take place Saturday at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. For updates visit abbynews.com.

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