BCTF will take a strike vote
Posted February 25, 2014 11:41 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The BC Teachers’ Federation is ramping up the pressure on the provincial government in their ongoing labour talks.
The union will take a strike vote on March 4th, 5th and 6th; it says if the vote results in a “yes,” an escalating strategy of job action could follow after 90 days.
BCTF President Jim Iker says the union still intends to bargain. “The strike vote’s intention is to put the pressure on the bargaining table… And we’re encouraging government to provide the necessary funding.”
If the vote ends up leading to job action, the union says it would not include school-wide walkouts.
“Any and initial action will not include immediate school closures or disruptions for our students, nor will it have our teachers stop doing curricular activities. And it will not affect report cards or communication with parents,” says Iker.
Iker is accusing the government of making unreasonable proposals in contract talks. “We cannot sit back and let Christy Clark and her government talk about labour peace in public while trying, once again, to provoke teachers behind closed doors.”
“Based on what this government has tabled, we cannot possibly understand how the premier can say she is interested in labour peace. These are not the proposals of a premier, education minster, or employer interested in stability,” he argues.
BC’s education minister says he’s disappointed by this and that you have to put something on the table in order to start bargaining.
“We have not seen a wage proposal yet from the BCTF,” explains Peter Fassbender. “We want the public to know this was not our choice. We wanted to continue bargaining and we still will.”
Peter Cameron Chief Negotiator for the BC Public School Employers’ Association echoes Fassbender’s comments. “Ordinarily the parties have actually put their comprehensive positions forward and they’ve discussed them and the absence of a salary position from the union is particularly striking so to speak.”
Doug Smuland with the Abbotsford Teachers Association blames the removal of the Public Service Employers Association for a horrible round of talks. “What is being put on the table for teachers is simply not in keeping with other teachers around the country or with other public sector workers in the province. The BCTF has taken the position that we need to push back a little.”
Smuland doesn’t think most people would notice any early job action. “I think the initial job action strategies, which the BCTF has not released yet, likely will not affect directly the kids in our classrooms right away.”
