British Columbia’s teachers’ union says its members have ratified a new four-year collective agreement, covering 52,000 educators in the province.
The B.C. Teachers’ Federation says its members voted 91 per cent in favour of the agreement that gives them a three per cent wage increase per year for four years.
The federation says it comes after a year of negotiation for improved classroom conditions, stronger mental health support for students and wages that will work to retain and recruit more educators.
“This agreement is proof of what’s possible when teachers fight for their students. We pushed for improvements to learning conditions, and this agreement includes commitments to add counsellors, learning assistance teachers, and special education resource teachers in schools across the province,” BCTF President Carole Gordon said.
“This is a modest step forward, and our students deserve so much more. Our classrooms are increasingly complex, and investment needs to keep up. We will continue to advocate for better classroom conditions and more time, resources, and support so that teachers can help every student achieve their full potential.”
The deal also reportedly outlines a wage bump to entry-level roles to attract new hires, more counsellors and special education teachers, added prep time for elementary teachers, and increases for teachers in select rural and remote schools.
The BCTF says it must now wait for the BC Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) and its members to also ratify the new agreement, after which it will come into effect retroactively for a start date of July 1, 2025.