Will Supreme Court case lead to more labour troubles in BC schools?
Posted August 25, 2016 7:11 am.
Last Updated August 25, 2016 7:15 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Kids, enjoy what’s left of your summer break. In less than two weeks the first bell of the school year will be ringing, but with a major Supreme Court of Canada appeal expected this fall, will there be more labour troubles in our classrooms?
“I don’t anticipate there’s going to be any disruptions because the teachers have signed their agreement, which is still in effect, and most of the support staff unions have also signed their agreements,” says University of the Fraser Valley Associate Professor of Industrial Relations Fiona McQuarrie.
“I think the major issue that will come up is the Supreme Court of Canada case involving the BC Teachers’ Federation and the provincial government. But that decision is coming down in November and I don’t anticipate it will have any impact on the delivery of education in schools.”
The pending Supreme Court appeal is related to the provincial government’s use of legislation to change teachers’ bargaining rights 14 years ago and it will be closely watched, with possible implications for how collective bargaining works across the country.
But with teachers under a six-year deal and support unions under five-year agreements, McQuarrie points out BC’s schools are well into an extended period of labour peace. “In past years, collective agreement have expired at different times and there hasn’t always been such long agreements between the teachers and the provincial government. In the past, sometimes that collective agreement was shorter which meant there was the potential for disruptions much more regularly.”
The BCTF’s new leader, Glen Hansman, is making his first address as president to delegates attending the union’s summer leadership conference in Kamloops today.
