The labour strife between the provincial government and public school teachers is like no other. This impasse affects thousands of teachers, hundreds of thousands of students awaiting educational opportunity already paid for, and multitudes of apprehensive and dissatisfied parents.
No one side will win this stalemate. Both sides think they're right and they're in it for the long haul. The Ministry of Education must believe a lengthy strike will have such long-term effect on the BCTF membership to resolve future contract issues at the bargaining table, rather than again risk loss of employment and financial hardship. The BCTF naively thinks it has the will of the voters along with a united membership.
This is not a typical union/ employer dispute of blocked access to company property and hostile employees with placards disrupting business. Why then do professionals engage in such lame and inappropriate practices?
Rhetorically speaking, why do teachers in public schools require strike action and denial of services during contract negotiations? Why do other unions and professionals successfully resolve their contract issues? The underlying answer is the high cost of delivering a service, which has been determined to be an "essential" service.
Those at the bargaining table should resign if they're incompetent (which I don't believe to be the case) or their mandate as instructed is unachievable (which I believe to be true).
We are told the B.C. government is holding out for a "negotiated contract." Thirty years of history says the likelihood of that happening is extremely remote. History also tells us he/she with the most money usually wins the financial contest.
The frustrating point of this impasse is that settlement is inevitable. Several months have passed and both parties appear no closer on any of the important issues.
Vince Ready at one point stopped both sides from airing their propaganda through the press. Both sides are back to that tactic and Ready has booked out of the dispute.
Simple folk like myself say enough is enough. The provincial government has all the tools to end the strike/lockout. The Labour Relations Board can order a twoweek cooling off period and bring the teachers back to the classroom as an essential service and then impose a settlement through binding or non-binding arbitration, with the latter of significant value to both sides.
It saddens me to see professionals awkwardly standing around wearing silly placards and politicians lamely talking about "negotiated peace" when it simply will not happen. Or will not happen soon enough without irreparable damage to this year's education system.
Choices have to be made and decisive action taken. Both sides need this dispute resolved and teachers really want to practice their craft and educate our children. Anything less is unacceptable.
And a good night to you, Vicki, Morgan and Haley.
