STRIKE OF TEACHERS

Grey River Argus, 28 February 1947, Page 5

STRIKE OF TEACHERS

. Pupils in Quandary STRANGE POSITION IN U.S. CITY (Roc. 9,51) NEW YORK. Feb, 26, NEW YORK, February 26. There is a strike of teachers in Buffalo. Seventy-eight schools are closed. Only 20 are open. On the second day of the strike more teachers walked out. Coal truck drivers refused to cross the teachers’ picket lines. Deliveries of milk and cafeteria supplies are also held up. The schooL, have only one day to a week s coal supply left. Some pupils joined the picket lines to-day. Children at one high school completely disregaided orders and chalked on blackboaids slogans like: “Give the teachers a We don’t want scabs”. LATER. The Buffalo public school system was completely brought, to a standstill last night, when the authorities ordered the nineteen of the schools which had remained open to be closed indefinitely. The school principals told the Education Board that disorder in schools had became rampant. Even ordinarily well-behaved children were playing up. One principal said that parents were already threatening law suits for any injuries which their children might suffer as a result of the strike. Other school principals said that the teachers pickets had instilled fear into the pupils and had encouraged them to .stay away, or to make the conditions difficult for those teachers who were still working. on which they relied, rather than to take their case further to the Arbitration Court. To overcome ' this anomaly created by the court, the rubber workers have now formed a Dominion union in the industry to create unity in the industry among workers and to bring the cost of production on an equitable basis throughout the Dominion so that firms can compete on an even keel of efficiency versus efficiency, and quality versus quality, plus service. In bringing this about, Canterbury workers have forfeited an increase in wages which could have been obtained had we negotiated nine months ago. The union will turn its attention to other economic units in the industry in the very near future.”