‘Push back’ against govt, teachers told

NEWS/ SCHOOLS — Picket lines return to some Kamloops schools Monday as teachers ramp up pressure for a settlement with only a week to go before classes start.

B.C. Teachers Federation president Jim Iker told several hundred teachers gathered at a summer leadership conference in Kamloops on Sunday that members are ready for mediation.

“Let’s get this deal done,” Iker said.

“The holdout has been government and their unwillingness to enter full-scale mediation and compromise. We’re ready to negotiate any time. We’ve been ready all summer.”

But if a settlement isn’t reached this week, school won’t begin on schedule.

“I’m still hopeful we can reach a negotiated settlement so that we can get back to what we want to be doing, what we love to be doing, and that’s teaching,” said Iker to applause from members.

“We have to stay strong and collectively push back against a government that would rather pay babysitters $4o a day… than get a deal.”

The Liberal government has offered to pay $40 per day to parents with children under 13 years of age to help with daycare costs that arise from the strike.

Mediator Vince Ready is considering entering the picture if he thinks the BCTF and B.C. Public School Employers Association are getting close enough.

The Kamloops-Thompson School District is warning parents that while classes are scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 2 except for Kindergarten students. the strike could interfere.

They’re advised to keep a close watch on advisories from the district. The school board ends its summer break and meets Monday night at 7 p.m.

Kamloops district teachers haven’t picketed schools since the end of the school year because summer school was cancelled. While secondary schools, Henry Grube and the KOOL centre are to be picketed again, elementary schools won’t be added until next week.