Officials with the Sea to Sky School District this week said they're not quite sure what to expect regarding British Columbia teachers' labour situation and urged the public to visit the school district's website (www.sd48.bc.ca) for updates during the summer.
The collective agreement between teachers ran out as of Thursday (June 30), and negotiations have been ongoing for the past few weeks between the B.C. Teachers' Federation (BCTF) and the B.C. Public Schools Employers Association (BCPSEA). This past week, the BCTF - of which Sea to Sky Teachers' Association is a part - staged a preliminary strike vote and chose to institute Phase 1 of job action on Sept. 6 if no agreement is reached.
Phase 1 is to include a limited withdrawal of services "that are administrative in nature and do not affect instructional time with students," district officials said in a statement. Schools will likely be open for students beginning Sept. 6, but officials stressed that parents should keep themselves apprised of the situation as the start of the 2011-'12 school year draws near.
