BEARS OUT PREPARING FOR WINTER A12
SEPTEMBER 17, 2014
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Two Sections, 36 pages
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LIONHEARTED LITTLE ONES
KEN HUBER VISITS FANS IN FOREST GROVE A19
CAG SHOW WINNERS ON DISPLAY B3
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Carole Rooney photo
Delano Levermann, front, roared like a lion when he jumped around with Karen Broadbent in the bouncy castle at the Cariboo Family Enrichment Centre’s Fun Day on Sept. 10. Face-painting, food and children’s health information were also offered at the free family event.
Tentative teacher deal hammered out Mediator intervenes to kick-start contract agreement
Carole Rooney Free Press
A tentative deal reached in the teachers’ dispute may soon see students back in public schools in British Columbia. After five drawn-out days behind closed doors in talks with the two parties, mediator Vince Ready confirmed the news long-awaited by parents and students in his comments to media shortly after 4 a.m. Tuesday (Sept. 16). “After all these hours, I am very pleased to announce that the parties have reached a tentative agreement.” The B.C. Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) will have its membership vote on the agreement on Sept. 18. Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna
Barnett said this is “great news,” and she hopes the deal moves forward. Every day children are not in school makes a difference to everyone involved, she added. “It is most important to get young people back in the education system ... they are missing some of the most important academic time of their life and they need to be back in school learning. “I hope when it goes to a vote that the BCTF votes yes.” Marathon bargaining sessions resumed last week under increased pressure from the public, a push for arbitration from the BCTF, and implications by government that it might legislate an end to the labour dispute. Ready, who has wide-spread rec-
ognition for his mediation skills, was asked by the two bargaining teams for help to resolve issues that culminated in a teachers strike underway since June. He said both sides worked hard to reach the tentative deal, but declined to reveal any specifics. “I’m not at liberty to release any of the details, nor are the parties. The parties are going to meet later this morning and finalize a few of the outstanding details ... and that’s really all I've got to say at this point.” Cariboo Chilcotin Teachers’ Association president Murray Helmer said there is “some optimism there,” but he needs to see the deal to ensure all its objectives have been met. “I have total faith in our negotiat-
ing team in coming away with what they felt was the best possible deal. I’m confident they have not compromised in any way that would take away the things that are most important to us.” He explained if teachers do vote in favour of the agreement, it’s “not impossible” School District #27 classes could be back in session by Monday (Sept. 22), but it would take a sizable effort. Not only do support staff need time to clean facilities closed up all summer, teachers also have a lot of prep work to do before resuming classes, Helmer noted. “It’s really going to be a gargantuan effort to have it unfold for Monday. But, members are keen to be back and they want to do their jobs.”