The Vancouver School Board has sent a letter to Education Minister Peter Fassbender and British Columbia Teachers’ Federation president Jim Iker asking them to use binding arbitration to end the teachers’ strike.
The letter states:
“That in order to resolve the teacher bargaining dispute and to create stability and predictability in BC Education for the 2014-15 school year and beyond, the Vancouver Board of Education call on the BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) and BC Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) / Provincial Government to use binding arbitration to reach a fair and reasonable resolution to the dispute.”
After months of bargaining, job action and a partial lockout, the government and the BCTF have been unable to come to a negotiated settlement.
“Government pre-conditions for mediation appear to make that option ineffective,” the Vancouver School Board said in their letter.
They would like to see the dispute settled in advance of the 2014/15 school year.
“We are calling on both sides to agree to binding arbitration in order to move forward so we can all return to focusing on supporting teaching and learning,” the letter stated.
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