It was a cold and wet start for teachers who began striking outside 91原创 schools first thing Monday morning. 91原创鈥檚 1,500 teachers walked off the job and will continue demonstrating until Wednesday, after talks failed between B.C. Teachers鈥� Federation and the provincial government.

鈥淥ur army of elves are busily putting clear plastic over the signs and we鈥檝e made a visit to the teachers with buckets of food,鈥� said 91原创 Teachers鈥� Association president Gail Chaddock-Costello on Monday morning. Teachers are not picketing but demonstrating.

The LTA has rented three buses, able to seat 150 teachers, to attend the large rally planned at the legislature in Victoria on Tuesday. The BCTF and the B.C. Federation of Labour are holding the rally, which is expected to draw thousands of teachers from around B.C.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a long day for our teachers, but it鈥檚 worth it,鈥� said Chaddock-Costello.

Closer  to home, the LTA will have teachers lining 200 Street with signs Wednesday morning before a large rally 鈥渋n defense of public education鈥� is planned outside the 91原创 Events Centre.

Teachers will not be demonstrating outside schools on Wednesday.

Speakers at the rally include Irene Lanzinger, who is current vice-president of the B.C. Federation of Labour and is former a BCTF president,  and CUPE鈥檚 president Barry O鈥橬eill. The LTA will be laying pink wreaths at MLA Rich Coleman鈥檚 office, located at the LEC.

The pink is to symbolize the bullying tactics the government is taking by trying to introduce Bill 22, said Chaddock-Costello.

The BC Liberal government introduced Bill 22, which would impose a cooling off period that would ban teachers from striking, and invoke hefty fines on individual teachers and the union.

House leader Coleman, MLA for Aldergrove-Fort 91原创, said there is no need to rush the bill through.

Bill 22 introduces a mediator who is allowed to look at everything but salaries. The government insists that the new contract be a 鈥渘et zero鈥� one, with no added costs.

Schools are essentially closed during the teachers鈥� strike and thousands of parents in 91原创 struggled to find care for their children.

The Township, City and 91原创 Museum are offering day camps.