Six-year-old Kennedy Nelson-Dunning, from left, seven-year-old Jakoda Sam and six-year-old Megan MacDonald listen to teacher Jaime Fernie at Mission Central Elementary School in Mission, B.C., on Thursday December 16, 2010.
The B.C. government has appointed a fact finder to determine whether a negotiated settlement can be reached between the teachers' union and the province's bargaining agent.
Assistant deputy labour minister Trevor Hughes will meet with the teachers' federation and the B.C. Public School Employers' Association over the next two weeks and provide a report to Labour Minister Margaret MacDiarmid by Feb. 23.
Education Minister George Abbott has not ruled out a legislated end to the stalemate, and said Thursday that the two sides are oceans apart after 11 months of collective bargaining.
"I have grown increasingly pessimistic about the outcome of those discussions," he said.
Mr. Abbott said he's concerned about the possible loss of an entire academic year – particularly for vulnerable students – and the wear and tear on principals, vice-principals and superintendents as the dispute drags on.
Teachers are asking for a 15-per-cent wage increase over three years but Mr. Abbott has said that won't happen because of the government's net-zero wage policy.
He said he spoke with B.C. Teachers' Federation president Susan Lambert on Monday and she said the union wouldn't budge from its position.
"This is not an acceptable situation for me," Mr. Abbott said. "It has to find a remedy one way or another in the relatively near future."
Ms. Lambert said in an interview Thursday that the government should have hired an independent person to conduct the review.
"I'm concerned that there's a predetermined outcome to this action," she said of Mr. Hughes' appointment.
"The government hasn't shifted from its position at all, not since the get-go of these negotiations," she said.
"Why are they afraid of putting a mediator into the process?"
But Mr. Abbott said the two sides are too far apart for a mediator to get involved.
As part of their limited strike action, teachers have not written report cards all year and are refusing to do administrative duties.
The Canadian Press