[LabComm] James releases statement on government dispute with BC teachers

[BC NDP NEWSWIRE]

James releases statement on government dispute with BC teachers



NDP Opposition Leader Carole James released the following statement this afternoon:

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"As the teachers' dispute enters its second week, parents are looking to the Premier to provide leadership.   Instead, the Premier has chosen to walk away from the mess his government created.

Today, I am calling on Premier Campbell to return to British Columbia and to make a personal commitment to address the serious issues at stake in this dispute.

Since assuming office in 2001, the government has consistently and deliberately betrayed teachers, doctors, crown prosecutors and others.  They have overruled court decisions, dismissed third-party recommendations, and used the legislature to short-circuit good-faith negotiations and impose contracts rather than bargain them.   And now they are abdicating any responsibility for finding a solution to re-open BC schools.

British Columbians expect more from their Premier, especially during a crisis.  They expect leadership.  They expect the government to make responsible decisions in the public interest.

What is needed right now from the Premier is a personal commitment to sit down and talk directly with teachers. Mr. Campbell must make a personal guarantee that real action will be taken by his government to resolve the issues of class size, class composition, and the other learning conditions issues at the centre of this dispute.

Over the last 18 months, the government has taken every opportunity to be confrontational with teachers.   Their approach has contributed to a climate of anger and mistrust.   It has put parents and students at the centre of a political dispute when the government should have been working to bring the parties together around common goals for education.

By his absence, Premier Campbell is sending the wrong signal to all British Columbians.  He is acting as though he doesn't care that over 600 thousand young people are not in school. To date, the Premier and his ministers have done all they can do to create a crisis.  It's time they did much more to help find a solution to this serious impasse.

This crisis is largely the fault of the Campbell government. At numerous points in the past week, The Liberal government had the option to choose positive solutions and a non-confrontational approach to this dispute. 

Last week, the NDP Opposition suggested the government put Bill 12 on hold in order that discussions could take place between the government and teachers in an atmosphere of good faith. The government rejected that idea.

Over the weekend, the government had three days to sit down and find a resolution to the crisis, but chose instead to do nothing, and this morning, the Minister of Labour said the dispute is out of the government's hands. 

It's critical that the Premier acknowledge the role his government played in getting the province to this point. By abdicating all responsibility for this dispute, the Premier has left parents and students to pay the price.

Mr. Campbell must step back and begin the serious work of getting students and teachers back in the classroom."

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