Could the premier’s overseas trip signal an impending conclusion to the teachers dispute?
Posted September 9, 2014 11:34 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Our premier’s trade mission to India next month could be a sign the government plans to end the education labour dispute before she leaves, according to a political scientist.
Premier Christy Clark is slated to depart on October 9th, and SFU professor Doug McArthur says it’s difficult to imagine her leaving the country without finding a way to get kids and teachers back in class.
“A common-sense interpretation of what’s happening here — and of course they’re not telling us — is that they do have a plan to somehow reopen the schools before she goes,” says McArthur.
“The thing that’s really curious on this trip is the premier leaving two or three days after the [provincial legislature] is scheduled to open.”
McArthur speculates the government will likely agree to arbitration or legislate teachers back to work, given talks have been fruitless in recent months.
The legislature gathers in Victoria on October 6th, which would be the first day to begin work to legislate teachers back to work if the government decided on that course of action.
“Agreeing to arbitration and getting the schools open again, or legislating the teachers back to work before she goes on her trip are the two most likely things they seem to be thinking about,” says McArthur.
However, he says if Clark feels the trip will be viewed as a positive distraction, that may backfire.
