BC Conservative leader weighs in on the teachers strike

BC Conservative leader Dan Brooks was at UNBC today speaking to the media and community about his plan to end the teachers labour dispute.

Brooks criticized the Clark government for creating a toxic environment to negotiate in by pitting the teachers against the taxpayers.

“Premier Clark is playing divide and conquer politics.” said Brooks “She has created a toxic environment between the Teachers Federation and the government and they can’t arrive at a solution. They are further apart because of the way she’s treated the teachers then if she had come to the table and negotiated in good faith.”

Financially his plan falls somewhere in the middle between the two sides’ demands; a 7.5% pay raise in 5 years, a $2500 signing bonus and incremental funding increases into the learning improvement fund. But most importantly, he says the government needs to drop its court appeal on class size and composition.

“The court appeal is absolutely the single largest component obstructing ending this strike and getting our kids back in school. They are likely to lose it anyways; it’s an anemic court appeal. Drop it and make the best deal for taxpayers and get our kids back in school.”

He also pointed out the large budget surplus and rainy day funds the government is building saying the government can afford to negotiate with the teachers.