Resistance to government bill will continue, BCTF says

In midst of three- day strike, union leader says legislation mandating six- month return to business as usual is ‘ an assault on teachers’

Teachers vowed Monday to continue their battle against a government bill intended to end a year- long contract feud, but their leader wouldn’t say whether that might include a strike beyond the three- day walkout this week.

“We’re keeping our options open,” Susan Lambert, head of the B. C. Teachers’ Federation, said as the union’s work stoppage closed public schools to hundreds of thousands of students but left them open for principals, vice- principals and support staff. “We’re vowing to resist, but what form that takes, I have no idea.”

Today, union members from around the province plan to join teachers for a protest on the grounds of the legislature while MLAS continue to debate Bill 22 inside. The B. C. Federation of Labour and the Canadian Union of Public Employees said the legislation, which would order an end to all job action for a six- month coolingoff period, is an attack on all union members and free collective bargaining.

Lambert, who described the legislation as “draconian” and “an assault on teachers,” said implementation of Bill 22 — which is not likely this week — won’t see the union’s 41,000 members quietly return to their jobs. “It will continue to anger teachers,” she predicted.

Education Minister George Abbott said the strike has given teachers a chance to vent, but he expressed dismay at the level of vitriol. He also noted the strike will save the ministry $ 11 million a day in teachers’ wages, money that will be spent on education.

“We are looking at what we might do with those savings. Certainly one of the things we might look at is potentially the Learning Improvement Fund [ for special needs education] and perhaps bolstering it in an early year.”

The fund, which would be created under Bill 22, is scheduled to gradually increase over three years.

Abbott said he had heard suggestions of a walkout extending beyond Wednesday’s legal deadline, but remained hopeful that would not happen.

Teachers followed rules from the B. C. Labour Relations Board with this week’s strike, he noted, and there’s no reason to think that will change. “We’re expecting schools to be open and functioning on Thursday.”

After this week, the union has LRB permission to strike one day per week.

Liberal house leader Rich Coleman said Bill 22 will see regular passage through the house, meaning it will likely take about two weeks.

But he said government will consider fast- tracking the legislation if teachers embark on any illegal job activity.

Once the bill has passed, a mediator will be appointed to work with both sides in an attempt to find a solution within the government’s netzero mandate.

Although union leaders had requested mediation, they did not expect the Liberals to set parameters for the process. Labour expert Ken Thornicroft said the bill’s restrictions are unusual and make it highly unlikely a deal will be reached before the June 30 deadline, Or any time in future.

“I have no hope,” sighed the University of Victoria’s Thornicroft, when asked about the possibility of a successful end to the feud. The bargaining arrangements now in place simply don’t work and it’s time to “blow it up and start again,” he said.