B.C. education minister says door open to meet teachers as walkout nears end
VICTORIA - Education Minister George Abbott says his door is open to meet with B.C. Teachers' Federation president Susan Lambert to discuss a three-day walkout that is drawing to an end, but it appears he's waiting for her to call.
Abbott says he's prepared to meet today or over the weekend with Lambert to outline the government's position on contract issues, but he says she hasn't accepted his offer to meet.
Abbott acknowledged, however, that he's only made the offer through reporters and hasn't actually attempted to contact Lambert himself since a three-day walkout began on Monday.
The education minister stresses the government will not move on its so-called net-zero mandate when it comes to wage increases, which means there will be no pay raises unless savings are found within existing contract benefits.
Abbott says about 130 B.C. union contracts have been or are negotiating within the government's net-zero approach and it wouldn't be fair to allow the teachers to break that record.
He says the current three-day teachers strike, which ends as teachers return to class on Thursday, is saving the government $11 million a day in wage costs, which Abbott will be put back into the education sector.
