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B.C. teachers should seize the moment and end strike, says legal expert
Teachers are in a strong position today, and should accept the contract while public support for them is still high, says former Crown prosecutor Sandy Garossino.
Photo of teachers strike by Mychaylo Prystupa
Tomorrow, B.C. teachers will vote on the tentative deal that the BC government and BC Teachers Union agreed upon on Monday. If the six year deal -- which has been called "historic" -- is ratified, it could end the strike for 40,000 teachers across the province and bring half a million children back to classrooms next week.
But some teachers are calling for a 'no' vote on the deal, which was painstakingly negotiated over five days by Vincent Ready. Many are uncertain about the effect of this deal on the BCTF court case and potential appeal. Sandy Garossino, a former Crown prosecutor who spoke on Global TV and wrote a widely circulated story on the Huffington Post about the legal aspects of the B.C. school strike, said now is the time to sign the deal, while public support is still strong and the Premier is under an enormous amount of pressure to settle the dispute. Holding out for more at this stage, she argues, would only leave teachers in a weaker position to negotiate.
But some teachers are calling for a 'no' vote on the deal, which was painstakingly negotiated over five days by Vincent Ready. Many are uncertain about the effect of this deal on the BCTF court case and potential appeal. Sandy Garossino, a former Crown prosecutor who spoke on Global TV and wrote a widely circulated story on the Huffington Post about the legal aspects of the B.C. school strike, said now is the time to sign the deal, while public support is still strong and the Premier is under an enormous amount of pressure to settle the dispute. Holding out for more at this stage, she argues, would only leave teachers in a weaker position to negotiate.
Here's a compilation of her tweets and observations:
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