A "ridiculous response" is how the New Westminster Teachers' Union president describes the provincial government's $40 a day offer to parents if the teachers strike continues into September.
"It simply seems to be another poke in the eye to teachers," said Grant Osborne. "We have been trying to resolve it ... instead we've been hit with this $40 for parents, and I'm a parent as well, but $40 doesn't address my son's class size or ratios around teacher/librarians or ESL."
The union wants to see caps on class size and composition similar to those that were stripped from their collective agreement in 2002.
"It was reams and reams of collective agreement material that was torn out of a contract that was deemed illegal," the local union president said, referring to a B.C. Supreme Court decision, which struck down legislation that removed class size and composition from the teachers' contract. The government is appealing the ruling.
Meanwhile, the government's negotiator and the BCTF resumed formal contract talks last Friday. Despite the ongoing uncertainty and lack of movement, Osborne remains "hopeful" that a deal will be reached.
He also dismisses the notion that some teachers may be losing faith in their union's ability to negotiate a settlement and get them back to work in just a few short weeks.
"I don't know if that's true," Osborne said. "The teachers' resolve is really strong."
The two sides are close on the salary and benefits, Osborne said.
"We are very close there - they have to be willing to address and pay attention to class size and composition," he said.
Finance Minister Mike de Jong announced the $40 a day will be paid using savings made from not having to pay teachers during the strike.
B.C. teachers have been on a full strike since June 17. Two mediators have declined offers to step in and resolve the dispute, saying both sides are too far apart for mediation to be effective.
