As teacher bargaining resumes, Education Minister optimistic

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – As spring break comes to an end, another letter went out to teachers Friday from BC’s Education Minister. Contract negotiations are set to continue Monday afternoon and Peter Fassbender is optimistic given the province successfully negotiated a deal with truckers on Wednesday.

Teachers and the province do remain far apart on issues like class size and workload, but “I believe if we come to the table with the attitude that we want to find a solution that’s good for all parties we’ll be able to achieve that goal, says Fassbender. But he says the educational environment is different in many ways and has a longer history, adding the settlement with truckers was negotiated in conjunction with the Federal Government, who brought in a mediator. “We just helped to facilitate that agreement by bringing the parties to the table and finding a path to an agreement.”

The letter is the second sent by Fassbender since February, when he promised a series of emails to teachers on issues that arise at the bargaining table.  In part of the latest letter emailed to teachers, Fassbender writes:

“From experience, you know better than anyone that classrooms are complex. Student needs can vary widely and group dynamics can be difficult to predict in advance.

The government fundamentally believes class size and composition are best managed through the professional judgment and discretion of educators. We also believe that educational assistants play a pivotal role in enhancing learning outcomes in complex classrooms.

Accordingly, instead of rigid ratios and formulas, BCPSEA’s proposal at the bargaining table seeks to build on successful approaches such as the Learning Improvement Fund. The proposal would give classroom teachers and their union a stronger voice in allocating resources where they are actually needed.

The proposal on class size and composition is part of a comprehensive initial position tabled by the BCPSEA bargaining team, which includes a 6.5 per cent wage offer in the first 6 years. This wage proposal reflects a view of what is fair, in keeping with what taxpayers can afford and the pattern of other public sector agreements. Just prior to pausing negotiations for their AGM and spring break, the BCTF responded with a wage position that is significantly higher.”

The emails have drawn criticism from the union, who says the government should not be communicating directly with BCTF members on issues pertaining to bargaining.

But Fassbender doesn’t think that is inappropriate. “I made it clear in the letter my letter is not attempting to negotiate, simply to share the perspective that I can on behalf of our government.” Fassbender adds, “I think it’s important for me to share the vision that we as government have for education, and one of the best ways for me to do that is to communicate directly with every teacher in the province.”

The government is still seeking a long-term deal according to Fassbender, but he didn’t confirm whether a ten-year contract is still their goal. Teachers voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate on March 7th. They assure phase one will be administrative, and won’t impact students.

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