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British Columbia Teachers Federation loses court case

B.C. government, B.C. education, BC politics, Christy Clark
File photo: BC Teachers Federation union president Jim Iker in a media scum at the picket line outside a Burnaby school in September, 2014. Photo by Mychaylo Prystupa

The provincial Court of Apeal ruled in favour of the government on Thursday, overturning Justice Susan Griffin’s previous rulings that the government failed to consult in good faith with the  BC Teachers Federation. 

The 4-1 ruling comes as a blow to the union's 41,000 teachers, who went on a lengthy strike last fall in a standoff with the province to demand smaller class sizes and more specialist teachers.
  

According to the ruling, the B.C. government was within its rights to implement legislation in 2012 stating that teachers could not bargain for class sizes. 

“In our opinion, the legislation was constitutional,” Chief Justice Robert James Bauman and Justice David Harris wrote their ruling.

The BCTF expressed disappointment. Union president Jim Iker is expected to speak on the issue at 11:30 a.m. 

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