Despite British Columbia Premier Christy Clark saying Tuesday she doesn't want students to miss a single day of school due to a teachers' strike, the government will not rush legislation that would keep them in classrooms next week.

"I'm disappointed obviously that they will be withdrawing their services one, two or three days next week," said Education Minister George Abbott, responding to the results of the B.C. Teachers' Federation's strike vote and anticipating the strike will start Monday.

The BCTF announced last night that 87 percent of the 32,209 public school teachers who cast ballots voted 'yes' to striking. There are 41,000 public school teachers in the province.

Earlier in the week the Labour Relations Board ruled that teachers may strike for three days, then for one day out of every five school days after that, with two days' notice.

"On Monday morning schools will be open as usual," said Abbott, noting the LRB ruling includes a no-picketing provision. "There will be principals, vice principals there, along with support staff . . . It will not be an instructional day as one would have with teachers present, but the schools will still be open."

The government introduced Bill 22, the Education Improvement Act, on Feb. 28. It includes measures that would make the teachers job action illegal and impose a "cooling off" period with a mediator to work with the parties on negotiating an agreement within the government's net zero mandate that allows for no wage increases.

The day the government introduced the bill, Premier Clark said, "I'd certainly like to see it in place sooner rather than later . . . I want to make sure kids don't lose a day of school. Ultimately, that's what we're trying to do here."

Abbott said today the teachers' plan to strike will not accelerate the government's legislation. "We don't believe it would be appropriate to take a bill as complex and as important as Bill 22 and rush it through the legislature," he said.

Asked if the premier is in agreement with that approach, the normally loquacious Abbott said, "I'm certain she is."

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Find him on Twitter or reach him here.