With teachers now back in BC classrooms, they still don’t have a new contract and the opposition Liberals say the NDP has dropped the ball when it comes to these negotiations.

Speaking on The Jeff Andreas Show, Education Critic Dan Davies says there just seems to be inaction. “We have hundreds of positions, teacher positions unfilled throughout the province. So, the harsh reality is there’s a long ways to go yet I think before we’re out of this. I just hope that there is some sort of a deal met soon.”

Davies says a disservice has been done to parents and students across the province. “In my opinion there has been a complete inaction on behalf of the NDP to resolve this issue before school started. The NDP government, they have a record of being forward looking in regard to contract negotiations. But, they’ve done nothing. Here we are, first day of school and still no contract.”

Wages remain a major hurdle in negotiations as teachers say they are among the lowest paid in the country, but Davies says one of the slaps to the face of the BCTF is when they’re talking class size composition. “This was something that has been ruled on by the Supreme Court and we know the NDP stance on that for the lats number of years and here they are now looking ta playing around with that language. So, I think that is one of the big issues.”

Davies doesn’t think job action is imminent, but believes things could turn quickly if a new deal isn’t worked out soon.