The bargaining system with teachers isn't broken.
Delta Teachers' Association president Paul Steer had that to say about the premier's desire to overhaul the collective bargaining system, which has resulted in more hard feelings and yet another teachers' strike.
The province simply needs to supply its negotiating arm with enough money to be able to start bargaining in good faith, Steer said.
"The system is not broken but it's been constrained. It's had the very life squeezed out of it in the past 12 years. It's been hollowed out on the inside," Steer said yesterday morning as he awaited the arrival of B.C. Teachers' Federation president Jim Iker outside Delta Secondary in Ladner.
Premier Christy Clark on the weekend said she has ordered Education Minister Peter Fassbender to rebuild the bargaining system with teachers. His mandate includes presenting options to cabinet on ways to restructure collective bargaining with the BCTF within the next year.
Steer noted teachers have always been willing to negotiate in good faith.
"One thing is for sure: you and I don't always have access to money, but government always has access to money," he said.
As far as the class size and composition issue, Steer said the teachers' union isn't willing to simply give away its court victory ordering government to restore limits to 2002 levels, however, teachers have tabled a deal that the province should find attractive if it's willing to negotiate fairly.
Steer believes that despite the rhetoric from government, things haven't soured to the point where a deal can't be done by June 30.
He said hundreds of teachers attended a study session at the Delta Town & Country Inn Monday and most were hopeful of a breakthrough.
Close to 300 Delta teachers and supporters gathered at the Highway 17A overpass in Ladner Monday afternoon in a mass rally. It was the biggest and loudest rally held at the overpass during the bitter contract dispute.
Some of the teachers said they remained hopeful a deal could get done by the end of this month, but several expressed frustration that things have got to this point.
"We're being used as a political football along with the kids. This has all been deliberate by government and BCPSEA," said one teacher. "They can talk about fixing a broken bargaining system all they want. It still takes two sides to negotiate fairly and in good faith and that isn't happening."
