Richmond teachers are struggling to decipher the implications of the newly passed Bill 22, which effectively ended strike action.
With the next report card date quickly approaching, it remains unclear whether teachers will reassume that job function, according to Al Klassen, president of the Richmond Teachers' Association (RTA).
"We haven't been doing report cards and how that plays out remains to be seen in the next couple of days or weeks," said Klassen.
He agreed the new legislation requires teachers to complete report cards and perform other duties they have been refusing as a part of job action, but "until the actual plan is adopted, I can't say that teachers are going to abide by that or not."
The plan he refers to was developed this week during the B.C. Teachers' Federation (BCTF) annual general meeting.
Details of the plan were announced at a press conference led by Susan Lambert, the union's president, on Wednesday, though she didn't divulge its full contents.
Before any further action is taken, though, it seems likely that the BCTF's 41,000 members will first approve the next move by vote on April 17-18.
Bill 22 put teachers back to work under last year's contract and imposed a six-month "cooling off " period. Under the legislation, the ongoing strike action was made illegal.
As a result, in Wednesday's press conference Lambert suggested that teachers would resume all of their normal duties, including writing report cards, on Monday. That doesn't mean teachers will be keeping quiet about their anger over the legislation they believe stands in contrast with their Charter rights.
"Mr. Abbott appears to be thinking that by simply legislating teachers back to work, he can legislate the system to return to normal and that's far from the case," said Klassen. He voiced the BCTF's intention to mount a legal challenge against Bill 22.
"It is unprecedented legislation, it is extremely onerous legislation that sets fines far and above many other criminal or civil acts. Of course people are going to challenge that legislation, both from a personal perspective and from a legal challenge."
The full extent of Bill 22's implications - and the magnitude of the teachers' responding action - is still unknown.
For example, at present, if the BCTF was to disregard the new law and continue strike action, a hefty fine of up to $475 per teacher and at least $1.3 million for the BCTF each day could be imposed. But who would levy the ticket? Klassen wasn't sure.
Teachers do still have control over their involvement in extracurricular activities, though, and it is likely that the withdrawal of these services may soon begin, if the motion is approved in next month's vote.
"We're very unhappy about being forced into a position where we have so few options that this is one of the last remaining options," he said. "We're extremely unhappy about being forced into the position of doing this stuff. We're extremely unhappy about how this will impact kids and parents. We're extremely unhappy that cooler heads can't prevail, that the government can't come to its senses, but unfortunately, given the draconian nation of Bill 22, we have little option but to vigorously oppose it."
