Teachers have voted to strike and they'll legally be able to do so from Monday to Wednesday next week, as long as Bill 22 doesn't get passed before then.
Results released late Wed-nesday night (Feb. 29) showed teachers across the province voted 87 per cent in favour of escalating job action. That escalation will include a full withdrawal of duties for a maximum of three consecutive days next week and possibly one day a week after that as long as the escalated action continues.
School District No. 46 superintendent of schools Patrick Bocking said the strike action will require schools to be closed, as without the teachers, the District "would not be able to offer a safe learning environment."
At Coast Reporter press time Thursday afternoon, Bocking was meeting with principals to pass on the school closure information so they could get it out to parents via automated phone calling systems.
Bocking plans to update the District's website at www.sd46.bc.ca and the District's Twitter feed as new information becomes available.
Parents can also expect another automated phone call if things change and schools reopen before Thursday.
The Labour Relations Board ruled the strike action legal on Feb. 28, but stipulated strike notice must be given at least two school days in advance and teachers cannot picket or block access to schools. Teachers gave that notice at around 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 1, allowing for a strike to take place from Monday, March 5, to Wednesday, March 7.
The British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) applied for the right to strike on Feb. 23, the same day the fact finders' report came out that saw no way for teachers and the government to reach an agreement under the net zero mandate.
Armed with the report from the fact finder and upset at the stalled negotiations that have seen 78 unproductive meetings over the past year, Education Minister George Abbott announced Bill 22 on Feb. 28.
The Bill, titled the Education Improvement Act, suspends any strike action and sets a "cooling off" period of six months while mediation takes place. Although the bill has been presented, it will take time to debate it in the legislature, and Abbott said it may be weeks before it's passed, giving the teachers some time to strike.
"We're now hearing via on-line Tweeting that Mr. Dix and the NDP will be voting against [Bill 22] and will be opposing the Bill. I gather they are wanting extensive debate, so depending on how extensive that is, it could take up to potentially two or three weeks," Abbott said during a conference call with media on Feb. 28.
Powell River - Sunshine Coast NDP MLA Nicholas Simons would not comment on how long debate might take, but noted he's unhappy with the government's handling of the teacher contract negotiations.
"It's unfortunate that this has come to this, but the blame for the current situation can be put squarely at the feet of the government," he said.
Bill 22 comes with a $165-million Learning Improvement Fund, but the mediation it calls for will have to be done under the net-zero mandate. While mediation takes place, the Bill reinstates the teachers' previous collective agreement.
If there isn't a negotiated agreement reached by the summer, Bill 22 calls for the mediator to issue a report that will contain non-binding recommendations.
Originally teachers wanted a mediator to get involved in the stalled contract negotiations. The BCTF is calling Bill 22 a "destructive act of legislative vandalism."
"This bill forces us into a mock mediation that has a predetermined outcome and is designed to make teachers complicit in stripping the remaining protections in our own collective agreement," said BCTF president Susan Lambert. "It's absolutely Orwellian."
Sunshine Coast Teachers' Association president Louise Herle said the strike vote should send a strong message to government.
"I think that the results of our province-wide vote are strong evidence of the unity, strength and courage of teachers. Bill 22 could eliminate fundamental civil and labour rights. We are outraged at this damaging attack on the teaching profession and public education," Herle said.
When asked how long the escalated action might last, Herle said, "Until teachershave a fairly negotiated collective agreement."
