Teacher Collective Bargaining
Teacher - Public School Employer Collective Bargaining
BCPSEA manages all three phases of the teacher-public school employer (school district) collective bargaining process - preparation, negotiations, and implementation/administration.
The collective agreement between the British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) representing the province's public school teachers, and the BC Public School Employers' Association (BCPSEA) representing the province's 60 public boards of education, expired on June 30, 2019.
The parties commenced collective bargaining for a renewed Provincial Collective Agreement on February 19, 2019.
Publications
- For the Record No. 2020-01 BCPSEA Responses to BCTF and Local Teachers' Association Statements
- For the Record No. 2019-06 BCPSEA Responses to BCTF and Local Teachers' Association Statements
- For the Record No. 2019-05 BCPSEA Responses to BCTF and Local Teachers' Association Statements
- For the Record No. 2019-04 BCPSEA Responses to BCTF and Local Teachers' Association Statements
- For the Record No. 2019-03 BCPSEA Responses to BCTF and Local Teachers' Association Statements
- For the Record No. 2019-02 BCPSEA Responses to BCTF and Local Teachers' Association Statements
- For the Record No. 2019-01 BCPSEA Responses to BCTF and Local Teachers' Association Statements
Background
After over 50 bargaining sessions, and in an effort to move the parties toward meaningful and productive discussions, in June BCPSEA applied to the Labour Relations Board (LRB) to appoint a mediator. The LRB appointed David Schaub as mediator and the parties continued to meet on dates during July and August with the assistance of Mr. Schaub, meeting a total of 69 times since bargaining commenced through to October 1, 2019.
Having made no further progress at the table, on October 1 BCPSEA asked the mediator to file a report under Section 74(5) of the Labour Relations Code in relation to the negotiations between BCPSEA and the BCTF for a renewed Provincial Collective Agreement.
Mediator David Schaub presented his Report and Recommendations for Settlement Between the British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association and the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation to the parties on November 1. The mediator provided clear direction that the details of the report remain confidential and asked that both parties advise him by the end of day Friday, November 8, 2019 whether their respective executives would make a recommendation to their members to endorse the recommendations for settlement contained in his report.
In a statement released November 8, BCPSEA Board Chair Alan Chell stated that the "...BCPSEA Board of Directors was surprised and disappointed to be advised that the BCTF Executive had rejected the mediator's recommendations for settlement and would not take them forward for a vote of the BCTF membership. In our view, this is a missed opportunity to work with the mediator to create a pathway to move forward."
Statement from BCPSEA Board Chair Alan Chell
The Mediator’s Recommendations for Settlement: At a Glance
BCPSEA and the BCTF met with Mediator David Schaub on December 10 and 11 and engaged in discussion focused on identifying topics that the parties would discuss in the new year.
Mediator David Schaub left the parties with some concepts to consider and indicated that he would contact the parties in the new year to determine availability to meet.
The mediator has now scheduled meeting dates for the parties on February 27 and 28, 2020, with further meeting dates identified for March.
The mediator requested - and BCPSEA is respecting - a media blackout while the mediation process is underway.
Media
- BCPSEA Board Chair Alan Chell interviewed on CHNL Radio, February 8, 2019
- BCPSEA Board Chair Alan Chell interviewed on CHNL Radio, September 14, 2018
Correspondence
- Letter from BC Teachers' Federation (October 24, 2017).
- BCPSEA Response to BCTF Letter (November 8, 2017).
- Letter from BC Teachers' Federation (November 15, 2017)
- Letter to Minister of Finance from BC Teachers' Federation (June 7, 2018)
- Letter to BC Teachers' Federation from Public Sector Employers' Council Secretariat (July 20, 2018)