Education Minister offer mediation to teachers

November 18, 2019

The government must take responsibility for bringing us to the brink of a labour strike in our schools.

This offer of mediation does not change the government’s uncooperative stance in negotiations, nor its refusal to back down on a plan to take 10,000 teachers out of classrooms.

This offer is incredibly hollow after the government derailed good faith negotiations by attacking teachers’ collective bargaining rights with a legislative cap on wage increases. This move violates people’s constitutional bargaining rights.

Mediation will not make a difference if the government continues to plug its ears to the concerns of teachers, parents and students.

To truly de-escalate tensions, the government must stop threatening the quality of education and start pursuing a fair settlement at the negotiating table.

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