B.C. teachers face a partial lockout next Monday, the Globe and Mail reported Wednesday.
According to a letter the newspaper obtained from the B.C. Teachers' Federation and posted on the B.C. Public School Employers' Association website, teachers would not be allowed to come to work more than 45 minutes before classes start or stay later than 45 minutes after classes end except for an urgent safety issue.
Should no deal be reached, the BCPSEA plans a full lockout of secondary schools set for June 25-26 followed by a lockout of all schools on June 27.
"Contrary to your comments," reads the letter dated May 21 from Michael Marchbank, public adminstrator for the BCPSEA to BCTF president Jim Iker, "BCPSEA is responding reluctantly but given BCTF's position [sic] BCPSEA has no option."
According to the Globe, the two sides are currently in contract negotiations. Teachers started job action in April centring on administrative work. The BCTF planned rotating strikes targeting individual school districts starting Monday; School District No. 57 is set to be affected May 29.
The BCPSEA, which the Globe says acts as the bargaining agent for B.C.'s 60 school boards, also plans to dock teachers' pay by five per cent on Monday as the result of the limited job action; it will dock 10 per cent should strikes take place.
A BCTF spokesperson told the Globe the lockout could affect teachers marking provincial exams for Grade 10 and Grade 11 students.
