B.C.’s Education minister says the table is set nicely for a new round of contract talks as the province and the BC Teachers Federation return to the bargaining table.

“I am very optimistic about bargaining an agreement with the BC Teachers Federation. I hear the union’s leadership saying very similar things to the government and BCPSEA. We are at the table having exchanged proposals already and earlier than any previous set of negotiations.”

Rob Fleming says both sides want to reach a new deal before the current contract expires June 30th with both sides already at the bargaining table.

With the provincial bargaining mandate being a three year deal with 2% wage hikes per year, could one avenue to address salaries be tweaking the teachers salary grid?

“I am going to let the bargaining happen at the bargaining table for sure. I think both parties have come to the table with some creativity and wanting to talk about a number of issues. Our government, and certainly I as education minister, have taken recruitment and retention very seriously. We have put funds on the table. We have expanded university teacher education program training spaces. Some of those teachers will be available in the classroom September 1st.”

The two sides began contract negotiations last week with bargaining dates already scheduled into June.