VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s education minister says the government’s latest proposal to striking teachers is as good as it’s going to get.
Peter Fassbender said Monday that the government is awaiting a response from the B.C. Teachers’ Federation on a package offered late Sunday during marathon talks that went on until nearly midnight.
“The ball is squarely in their court,” he said.
The government moved on wages, class size and supports for students with learning difficulties, Fassbender said, adding he would not yet provide specifics about the offer.
“Anything is possible,” he said, when asked if a looming strike scheduled for Tuesday could be averted.
Families waiting for word on the weekend talks were forced to make alternate arrangements for their children, with the possibility that schools could remain closed until September.
More than half a million students across the province did not have class Monday as teachers reviewed the latest bargaining proposals.
The union, which represents more than 40,000 teachers, presented a new contract proposal to the employer on Friday.
The union started rotating strikes in late May, cancelling classes for students one day each week in every district in the province.
Teachers voted 89 per cent early in March in favour of the limited job action.
In late May, the government countered the escalation with a partial lockout and docked teachers’ pay by 10 per cent.
The pay cut was sanctioned by the provincial labour board, which also ruled that marking critical secondary exams is an essential service.
Earlier this month, teachers voted 86 per cent in favour of a full-scale strike.
