Teachers volunteer stance disheartening

As a member of a family of longtime volunteers, in schools as well as many other organizations, I am having trouble understanding the Nova Scotia Teachers’ Union’s new description of why one volunteers.

My understanding of volunteering is providing a service to individuals and groups out of the goodness of your heart with no expectation of renumeration other than a good feeling.

The benefit volunteering provides can be far reaching and invaluable to the receiver and the provider.

I am very disheartened to read that volunteering is part of the NSTU’s negotiations. I always understood teachers volunteered for proms, graduations, skating parties, musicals, coaching, etc. Guess not. I do not believe teachers denying children their volunteer time is the proper way to solve classroom issues and increase their wages.

I never questioned what wages teachers are paid as they work with our most important and valuable asset. The fact they have never had to take strong action to get the money they wanted tells that tale.

I am quite sure there are many teachers who understand the real meaning of the volunteering spirit.

The harm of not volunteering outweighs the benefit to the children, the public and to the teachers who are the keepers of the system. Barry Brewer Glace Bay