Lost sales and employment disruptions are only two of the issues affecting small businesses resulting from the ongoing teachers’ strike, according to the results of a Canadian Federation of Independent Business survey published September 10.
The poll found that 43% of entrepreneurs believe the strike with hurt their businesses, with 60% citing sales as their number one concern. Employees with children having to stay home was in second place at 41%, followed by owners having to work longer hours (21%).
CFIB executive vice-president Laura Jones called the strike “disruptive.”
“Business owners are worried about their own businesses as well as the broader consequences of putting B.C.’s budget balance at risk,” she said.
The survey found that 66% of business owners believe that teachers should receive the same salary increases as what was negotiated by all other public sector unions, while 13% say they don’t believe they should receive any increases at all. Five per cent of entrepreneurs say the teachers deserve to have their demands met.
“The bottom line is that small business owners respect and admire teachers but most believe their union is out of line in asking for increases that are out of step with other public and private sector increases,” Jones said.
