Media silence from teachers, government could be a good sign: expert
Posted September 12, 2014 2:52 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The teachers union and the government have agreed not to speak to the media about yesterday’s talks with mediator Vince Ready.
Professor Fiona McQuarrie, a labour relations expert with the University of the Fraser Valley, says that could be reason for some optimism.
“Usually when the parties agree not to talk to the media, it means that they’re focusing on the actual discussions between the parties and not on appearing publicly to state their cases,” says McQuarrie.
She tells us Ready’s presence during those talks could also be an encouraging development.
“He’s not in the role of formal mediator, but he did step away from the talks before, when he thought the parties were too far apart for him to make any difference,” notes McQuarrie. “So the fact that he’s there — even in an informal role — I think is also a positive sign.”
McQuarrie says as the fall sitting approaches, it becomes more possible the government could opt to legislate teachers back to work.
Legislators meet in Victoria on October 6th.
