Government track record of bad bargaining has paved the way to a strike

Nurses urged to show support for teachers

BCNU President Debra McPherson says, "the question must be asked: is this government intentionally provoking a strike, so it can obtain public support to impose back-to-work legislation?"

The Supreme Court of Canada recently concluded this tactic was used by government negotiators in the past and found evidence the province's role in bargaining was a sham. The court effectively ruled class size and composition must be returned to 2001 levels, but the province has refused to make any changes.

In her ruling, Justice Griffin said, "Their strategy was to put such pressure on the union that it would provoke a strike by the union... The government representatives thought this would give government the opportunity to gain political support for imposing legislation on the union. I find that there was no true will on the government side of the table to reach agreement."

Now, the province appears to be using the same morally dishonest strategies. In the last decade it has violated contract after contract. It continues to ignore legal rulings which have found government negotiators have purposely undermined bargaining.

The government must make a genuine effort to bargain in good faith, instead of engaging in bogus talks never intended to resolve the dispute.