Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Monday, September 08, 2014

Education Minister ice cold to teachers' offer of binding arbitration to end strike

Education Minister Peter Fassbender responded cooly to an offer from the teachers' union Friday to end the strike with binding arbitration.  The minister said that fiscal discipline was paramount.

"I struggle with binding arbitration - period."

"It takes the responsibly of the parties away to make the hard decisions, and do the hard bargaining - we need to do that," said Fassbender from the Victoria legislature, in a media briefing that took few questions from reporters.

He added, that the Premier will not raise taxes "in order to give a settlement to one union that does not reflect what the other unions have done."

Earlier, the BC Teachers' Federation president Jim Iker called on the province to end the strike, by going ahead with binding arbitration.

"It is the fastest and most fair option that will see schools open and kids back in classrooms," said Iker.

The union added, it would put the question of arbitration in a province-wide vote in hurry, if the government accepted.

But so far, the Minister of Education has said he has not seen enough details of the union's proposal to do arbitration.

The impasse has put 500,000 students out of school in June, and now again this week, leaving many parents scrambling to find daycare and alternative schooling options.

Fassbender maintains there's still a significant difference in what the two sides are demanding, to get to a deal.

"The gap between what the BCTF is asking for in wages and benefits, and what the other [unions] have settled on so far," said the minister.

A sticking point remains the issue of the so-called "E80” clause – an attempt by government to sidestep court rulings about teachers’ ability to negotiate working conditions, such as class composition, and specialists in the class.

Iker said he wanted government to leave matters currently before the court to the courts.

Fassbender repeated a line, often said by himself and the Premier:

"The schools are closed because the BCTF chose to go on strike."

Original Article
Source: vancouverobserver.com/
Author: Mychaylo Prystupa

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