The recent ruling of the BC Supreme Court in favour of the government was not the one B.C. teachers had been hoping for. We, along with workers across Canada, were very disappointed; we fundamentally disagree with a ruling that gives too much power to government while it takes so much away from the rights of workers. Where there are collective agreements in place, a government should not be able to dictate what they so choose and force it by legislation.
Justice Donald offered a strong dissenting opinion that, along with other recent decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada, call into question the appeal court’s decision and offers hope to teachers in B.C. and workers across the country. The court’s decision does not change the unconstitutionality of Bill 28. The government was wrong to unilaterally strip teachers of the right to bargain working conditions. Bill 28 allowed the government to underfund B.C.’s education system to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars every year for the past 13 years.
The more recent Bill 11 only serves to add insult to injury. It not only brings about sweeping changes to teachers’ professional work and negative impacts on student privacy, but also it centralizes power in the minister’s office over democratically-elected boards. The minister did not consult with anyone on the changes, including school trustees. If only the minister would take pause and listen to his partners. Instead, the conflict continues unnecessarily.
Trustees, parents, support workers and teachers are now all speaking out against the underfunding and cuts to education. The BCTF will seek leave to the Supreme Court of Canada to appeal the decision.
However, the government could put the interests of B.C. students first. If the government is serious about stability and moving forward, they must repeal Bill 11, consult in good faith, and properly fund public education in this province.
We all want a strong public education system. B.C. teachers will continue to defend our bargaining rights, our working conditions, students’ learning conditions and our public education system.
Carl Walker, President
Sea to Sky Teachers’ Association
