Teachers fighting drive ‘open shop’ | By SEAN GRIFFIN The right to a union shop emerged as the main issue in two Central Fraser Valley school districts this week as teachers took to the picket lines to head off efforts by the Abbotsford and Langley school boards to drive a non-union wedge into teachers’ ranks. Members of the Abbotsford District Teachers’ Association walked off the job Monday after more than 11 months of bar- gaining and a last minute request for media- tion failed to move the board from its demand that the districts’ 670 teachers accept an open shop collective agreement. Teachers had earlier voted 88 per cent for strike action after being without a contract since July. And in Langley, the school board poised itself to issue 72-hours lockout notice fol- lowing a meeting between the trustees and Langley Social Credit MLA Carol Gran who urged the board to fight the teachers’ association over the issue of a union shop. Langley teachers had already begun taking rotating strike action in their bid for a con- tract. Teachers were on strike in Chilliwack and Agassiz-Harrison and were locked out 15 districts, page 12 in the Kettle Valley this week although in all those districts, union membership is not one Students brave downpour Thursday to rally in Vancouver over provincial government underfunding of colleges and universities. Speakers from the Canadian Federation of Students Pacific Region, Langara campus, and Native students, criticized shortfalls that saw more than 10,000 students turned away from higher education last year. CFS regional © chairperson Pam Frache noted the advanced education ministry had that morning put an additional $40 million into the system, proof she said that rallies are effective. But students call fora much higher level of funding, a freeze on tuition and of the outstanding issues in dispute. But in both Langley and Abbotsford, the boards’ opposition to the union shop has been an echo of attempts by the Social Credit government when it introduced Bill the creation of more spaces for post-secondary students. Story page 11. Vancouver aldermen Libby Davies reads greetings from MPs, MLAs and organizations who sent best wishes to the annual International Women’s Day march and rally March 4. Davies and other speak- ers warned of the intensifying attack by right-wing elements on women’s right to choice on abor- tion, and called for a renewed fight to defend the Everywoman’s Health Clinic in Vancouver, and future clinics. Speakers also hailed women’s struggles around the world, and spoke on the theme of immigrant women in Canada, at the rally which followed a spirited march of some 2,500 participants through the downtown core. Story page 3. 20 in 1987 to divide teachers along union/non-union lines. B.C. Teachers’ Federation bargaining division director George North called the boards’ stand ‘“‘an extension of the Social Credit campaign to undermine the BCTF.” B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Elsie McMurphy noted that Gran’s com- ments were the “the first open instance of the government trying to pursue its failed agenda.” Gran acknowledged that she went to the board meeting to oppose the union shop after being approached by some 25 non- union teachers seeking her support. In Abbotsford, the political interference has not been so overt, although ADTA pres- ident Wayne Anthony called the resistance to the union shop “ a crusade by a right wing anti-labour group to keep the school district non-union.” He noted that Central Fraser Valley Socred MLAs Peter Dueck and Harry DeJong had met privately with the school board two weeks earlier. “We don’t know what was discussed,” he added, “‘but what would you think if the two MLAs met with the board and the board’s position har- dened after that?” “see STRIKE page 12