BCTF prepares for fresh round of bargaining

Mar 20, 2018 | 2:38 PM

VANCOUVER — The president of the Kamloops-Thompson Teachers’ Association is hoping Victoria heeds her union’s call to meet prior to the start of contract negotiations in 10 months time.

Her comments came at the conclusion of the BC Teachers Federation Annual General Meeting in Vancouver Tuesday.

“Well, I think it’s really important that the government and the [BCTF] meet to prepare for bargaining,” says Amanda Jensen. “Certainly in the last round of bargaining we were very far apart going in, so any gains that we can make prior to going into bargaining, prior to sitting at that bargaining table I think is wonderful. And so I’m hoping that the minister will agree that it makes sense to meet.”

And while she concedes increased wages is a goal, Jensen says other issues are sure to come up as well.

“The majority of the conversation will have to do with things like class size and composition, working and learning conditions for students. And so, hopefully, those preliminary conversations will give us a better idea of where negotiations are going to go once we sit down.”

BCTF President Glen Hansman said “mature conversations” will make a difference for the BCTF after 16 years of acrimony in dealing with the previous BC Liberal government.

Hansman said while members want a wage hike he said they will need to be “realistic” considering other public sector workers will also be heading to the bargaining at around the same time.