Fight must end before September: Abbott

Otherwise, government will impose deal

The contract dispute between teachers and public school employers must be settled — one way or another — before the new school year starts in September, Education Minister George Abbott said Friday.

If efforts by the governmentappointed mediator fail to produce a new collective agreement by June 30, the government will impose a deal through legislation over the summer, he added.

“It will be settled from a labour- relations perspective [ before schools reopen],” he said, but he acknowledged that won’t bring peace and won’t end the grievances, court challenges and general unhappiness among members of the B. C. Teachers’ Federation ( BCTF).

“You can’t legislate a good relationship and you can’t legislate what people do outside the bounds of their contractual obligations.”

Questions about what tasks teachers will be required to perform outside their working hours are still before the B. C. Labour Relations Board. The employers have asked the board to declare the BCTF’S withdrawal from extracurricular work an illegal strike.

Abbott said he would much prefer if mediator Charles Jago manages to guide the parties to a negotiated agreement, but the BCTF has indicated that’s unlikely as long as government is committed to its netzero mandate, which requires a two- year contract without additional costs to the provincial treasury. The last BCTF contract expired June 30, 2011.

“For the future, we do need to build a better relationship with the BCTF and an important step in that direction would be a mediated agreement with the union and I hope we get that.”

You can’t legislate a good relationship and you can’t legislate what people do outside the bounds of their contractual obligations.

GEORGE ABBOTT

EDUCATION MINISTER

Abbott made the comments after addressing a conference of the B. C. Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils, where he assured about 100 delegates that B. C. continues to have an excellent public education system, likely eighth in the world.

If the 15 top- performing districts were one jurisdiction, it would be a global leader, he said, mentioning only two of the districts he considers to be among the top 15 — Revelstoke and Fort Nelson.

The parent conference continues today with debate expected on several contentious motions, including one that calls on all 60 districts to designate one school free of wireless technology as an option for those who believe that radio frequency from Wi- Fi and cellphones may be hazardous to children’s health.

Members of a BCCPAC safety committee that studied the issue were divided on whether it’s necessary to create schools free of Wi- Fi given that Health Canada has not declared it a hazard.

Another resolution calls for changes in provincial law to disallow school employees from serving on boards of education. The School Act now prohibits employees from becoming trustees in their own district only, but allows them to seek election in other districts.