B.C. Education Minister Peter Fassbender told the province’s parent advisory councils on Friday that teachers do deserve a raise, as B.C.’s 41,000 teachers head into a second week of rotating-strikes.

The minister, who was addressing a meeting of the B.C. Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils in Richmond, said teachers’ wage demands have to be balanced against other demands on the taxpayer dollar.

“I stand before you believing that teachers deserve a raise, teachers deserve stability,” he said, to applause from the assembled parents.

“But you know what? Communities deserve that as well, and the government has a responsibility to taxpayers and finding that balance between all of those things.”

Terry Berting, president of the PAC confederation, says his members’ patience with the escalation of the dispute is wearing thin and “the bear is stirring.”

“We’re not pleased about the walk outs.”

“We respect that it’s a legal right to strike, but we’re not dealing with car parts here, this is serious and kids are being affected.”

Report from CBC News