Saying both sides are simply too far apart to come to terms on a new teachers contract, veteran high profile mediator Vince Ready has abandoned talks between the BCTF and BC government, held in Richmond earlier today, making it highly unlikely classes in the Comox Valley will start as scheduled on Tuesday.
Ready says his goal was to establish some kind of a meaningful framework for mediation but that failed to materialize, citing a lack of movement in the long running contract battle as a key obstacle in bridging the gap on various issues.
Ready said the next move in the dispute is up to the negotiators with the B.C. Teachers Federation and the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association.
Meanwhile the BCTF says they have not walked away from negotiations, nor have they given up hope classes could start Sept. 2. In a news release just issued the BC Government says they have no plans to legislate an end to the contract battle.
