Both sides in teachers dispute meet today; poll finds strong support for educators

By

VICTORIA (NEWS1130) – Both sides in the labour dispute that has shut down schools across the province are planning to sit down in Victoria this afternoon and, just in time, big labour is out with a new survey and ad suggesting most parents still support teachers.

With the school year supposed to start next week, the BC Federation of Labour says time is running out to reach a settlement and negotiations have to target the “real problems” in classrooms — “overcrowded classes and a lack of support with special needs.”

The poll, conducted by Insights West, finds 84 per cent of British Columbians agree the province should increase per-student funding to the national average.

The results also show 52 per cent support teachers in the dispute.

“This has been consistent since June,” says Mario Canseco with Insights West. “There’s really not been a lot of movement of residents siding with the BC government as we get closer to the supposed start of the school year.”

Where there has been a big swing is among parents with children in public schools.

“That was quite striking because it started as a 50/50 split; there were a lot of people who may have had animosity towards the BC government at the start but there were certainly a lot of parents on the fence,” Canseco tells News1130.

“We started back in June with a split and now we have a 2-to-1 margin, so 60 per cent, of parents who have children in a public school who support the BC Teachers’ Federation and only 30 per cent are supporting the BC government. So as this has continued, and a deal seems far off, more people who have kids in the system believe it is the teachers doing things right.”

A large majority (86%) also want a mediated settlement if one can’t be reached by September 2nd.

Most residents are also dissatisfied with the education minister’s decision to discuss the contract dispute with the media, including a sizable majority of those who voted for the BC Liberals in May 2013.

Education Minster Peter Fassbender, the government’s chief negotiator Peter Cameron, and BC Teachers’ Federation President Jim Iker are scheduled to meet this afternoon at the Legislature but have not said what they will be discussing.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today