Pickets at Britannia as education strike opens

Teachers set up pickets at Britannia School in east Vancouver as British Columbia Teachers' Federation members launch strike action as part of the Operation Solidarity escalating strikes against the Social Credit government's legislation. Like the British Columbia Government Employees Union, the BCTF's action was aimed at Bill 3, the Public Sector Restraint Act, but also Bill 6, the Education Financing Act, that would cut education funding, threaten the jobs of teachers and remove most decision-making powers from local trustees. Three days later, teachers lifted their picket lines along with other public sector workers as the Kelowna Accord ended strike action. Although workers won some exemptions from legislation and other changes were made, the Accord was widely seen as a move that left Operation Solidarity far short of its potential.