What each side is hoping to achieve

Facts about the contract feud between the B. C. Teachers’ Federation ( BCTF) and the B. C. Public School Employers’ Association ( BCPSEA), backed by the Liberal government. Salary proposal: The BCTF wants a 15- per- cent wage hike over three years; the BCPSEA and government say teachers, like other provincial government employees, are bound by the net- zero mandate, which means no increased costs. Proposal’s cost: The BCTF estimates a 15- per- cent salary increase would cost the provincial treasury an extra $ 560 million over three years; BCPSEA says the bill, compounded over three years, would be closer to $ 2 billion. Current pay: The average minimum salary for a B. C. teacher is $ 48,000; the average maximum salary is $ 74,000. Other BCTF proposals: Teachers want more paid preparation time, improved benefits and additional leaves, but have backed off some of their more controversial demands, including a proposal for six days of paid discretionary leave per year. Other BCPSEA proposals: Changes to reduce seniority protections, more management control over professional development and increased teacher evaluations, with measurable expectations. The BCTF describes the proposals as contract “strips,” saying the seniority changes would allow favouritism. Next steps: The BCTF says teachers will end their threeday strike and return to work Thursday, but is mum about whether there will be another walkout next week. Politicians, meanwhile, are still debating Bill 22 and say it might not pass in the legislature for several days. Once it does, job action will be prohibited during a six- month cooling- off period.