Battle over B.C. teachers’ new contract continues at NDP convention
Posted November 23, 2019 3:50 pm.
Last Updated November 23, 2019 8:54 pm.
VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) — Teachers protested outside the annual BC NDP Convention in Victoria Saturday as contract talks drag on.
It’s been nine months of contract debates, and Teacher’s Federation president Teri Mooring says they need to make gains.
Inside premier @jjhorgan talks about the challenges working out an agreement for teachers. @bctf #bcpoli #bced pic.twitter.com/wICjAYlNnK
— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) November 23, 2019
“I am not asking to make up for 16 years of underfunding and our inability to bargain overnight,” she explains. “The bargaining table needs to be funded, that’s why we’re here having conversations with delegates to really raise awareness about the issues.”
But Mooring says that does mean more money.
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Meantime, Premier John Horgan says he’s confident there is a solution as there’s so much common ground.
“What we have is a dispute between parties in a collective bargaining negotiations. It’s not a dispute about values, it’s not a dispute about our passion – our equal passion – for education it’s a labour negotiation,” he says. “The contract the teachers took all the way to the Supreme Court is one they signed with the NDP.”
Premier @jjhorgan scrum. In his speech said the place for @bctf teacher negotiations not being in media or at conventions but teachers are here – outside – with #Redforbced shirts. This is what he had to say. #bcpoli@bced pic.twitter.com/vQF4Wkhztc
— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) November 23, 2019
Mooring says they need to see movement in those negotiations and more money long before next year’s budget.