Teachers dispute may end up in the courts: expert

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The provincial government doesn’t look like it is about to cave into the latest demands from the BC Teachers’ Federation, which means the dispute disrupting your child’s education will likely drag on even longer.

“I don’t think an amicable settlement is realistic,” says Ken Thornicroft, a Law and Labour Relations Professor at the University of Victoria.

Now that the union has given the province a month to withdraw Bill 22 or face militant job action, he expects relations between the two to get worse before they get better. “I don’t think whomever the mediator might be — and I’m expecting a very well-respected and prominent individual will be appointed — I don’t think a mediator is going to be able to bring the parties together as well.”

“Ultimately, it might fall to the courts to sort this all out,” suggests Thornicroft.

Worry isn’t over for parents

Ann Whiteaker with the Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils says the uncertainty is troublesome for moms and dads.

“What we’re hearing from parents is the continued frustration that we don’t have a resolution at this time.  We could be looking at disruptions within the schools and our classrooms between now and the end of the school year,” she explains.

Whiteaker says the possibility of disruptions to activities like track meets and grad parties will be damaging to kids, especially those who come from families that can’t afford such opportunities.

“Losing extra-curricular activities within our school really has an effect on school connectedness. What we are seeing within this dispute is an erosion of school connectedness. When we have school connectedness with our children is when we have good communities in general,” she argues.

“What alarms us more as parents is this dispute will continue until the end of the year, regardless of their vote; that even by the end of June, [they] may not have an agreement,” worries Whiteaker.

The Education Improvement Act (Bill 22) makes any full-scale strike illegal and could cost teachers stiff fines if they decide to walk off the job. BC teachers will vote next month on whether to withdraw service or launch an illegal strike. A legal challenge to Bill 22 is also in the works.

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