Teachers give notice of job action but pledge no immediate disruption to schools, students

NEWS/ TEACHERS — Teachers ramped up their bargaining dispute with the province today by issuing 72-hour notice of job action.

B.C. Teachers Federation president Jim Iker called a press conference in Vancouver to announce that teachers will begin low-level stage one job action that targets only administrative duties. Teachers voted 89 per cent on March 6 to back up job action.

Teachers hoped that the vote would encourage the government and employer’s association to back off key demands and “unreasonable” positions.

“Unfortunately,” Iker said, “more than six weeks since that vote, the government and employers’ unfair positions have barely moved. The government and BCPSEA continue to demand concessions while ignoring the B.C. Supreme Court ruling on class size, composition, and staffing levels. In addition, the unreasonable 10-year term and salary proposals, which include up to two more years of zeros, are still on the table.”

The job action will start next Wednesday, April 23. Iker said it would cause no immediate school closures or disruptions to students. Teachers will continue to teach, write report cards, communicate with parents, and participate in extracurricular activities.

“Despite our patience and our measured approach in bargaining, Christy Clark and her government are once again trying to provoke B.C. teachers and shut down B.C .schools,” said Iker.

“Job action, even low-level action, is always a last resort because teachers care deeply about our schools and our students. That is why teachers are asking for smaller classes, more one-on-one time for our students, extra help for those who need it, and more specialist teachers to enhance every student’s educational experience.”

The next stage of job action would mean rotating strikes.

Education Minister Peter Fassbender called the strike notice “a little disappointing but not at all surprising. Over the past few weeks, it appears the BCTF has been more focused on implementing its strike plan than bargaining at the table.

“There has been virtually no movement from the BCTF on their wage and contract positions. The union hasn’t moved off its opening position of approximately 13.5 per cent increase over three years, nor has it withdrawn any of its many other monetary proposals.”

He said he hopes the BCTF will turn its attention “to some real bargaining.”

Fassbender said nobody wants to see a repeat of the six-and-a-half month strike a few years ago.