The war of words continues between the government and B.C. teachers.
The B.C. Teachers Federation will hold a membership vote today on binding arbitration even though the provincial government has turned down that proposal for resolving the dispute.
“Binding arbitration is the quickest way to bring an end to this long and difficult dispute,” said Heather Malcolm, Vernon Teachers Association president.
“If government agrees to take our dispute to an independent third party, teachers and students can get back to school.”
However, Education Minister Peter Fassbender says teachers will be considering the wrong strategy when they vote.
“I asked Mr. (BCTF president Jim) Iker to put the idea of suspending the strike to the BCTF membership so we could get into serious discussions about wages and benefits and bring the BCTF into the affordability zone and then into meaningful mediation with Mr. (Vince) Ready and find a negotiated settlement,” said Fassbender.
“But the BCTF is still asking for nearly twice as much as what other public-sector unions have settled for and they are still demanding a $5,000 signing bonus. That’s not affordable and it’s not fair to other unionized employees.
Teachers are demanding Victoria drop a proposal the BCTF says would nullify two B.C. Supreme Court rulings on class size and composition.
The matter is currently under appeal by the government and will be heard in October.
“The government is wanting us to bargain away our Charter rights,” said Malcolm.
“But we are asking government to leave the matters currently before the courts, to the courts, and allow wages, benefits, and preparation time to go to binding arbitration.”
Fassbender is opposed to binding arbitration.
“When the NDP government settled with the doctors through binding arbitration, it had a huge impact on the budget of the province and on all of us as taxpayers,” he said.
“If Mr. Iker is serious about wanting to get a settlement, then I am asking him to do what I asked him to do a week-and-a half-ago. Ask the BCTF members this Wednesday (today) for the ability for the executive to suspend strike action. That’s my challenge to Mr. Iker.”
