EDMONTON: In response to yesterday's vote by teachers in favour of going on strike, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today called on Premier Klein's government to change provincial legislation which now gives teachers the legal right to strike.

The CTF has surveyed its Alberta supporters on this issue. Among CTF supporters, 74% oppose teachers having the right to strike, 17% support teachers having the right to strike, and 9% are undecided.

"Public education is a vital, essential service on which parents and students depend. Taxpayers pay $3.9 billion per year for Alberta's K-to-12 public system, and are therefore entitled to receive value for that money without disruption by strikes or by threats of strikes," stated CTF-Alberta director John Carpay.

"How would teachers feel if parents and other taxpayers had the legal right to withhold salaries from teachers until certain demands were met " asked Carpay.

"If it's unfair for taxpayers to stop paying teachers' salaries, why should the teachers' union have the legal right to withdraw teaching services " continued Carpay.

"The Alberta Teachers' Association will cheerfully and enthusiastically argue that public education is fundamental, indispensable, all-important, and vital-to-the-future public service. That's exactly why Premier Klein should not give the teachers' union a legal right to withdraw from delivering this vital public service," concluded Carpay.