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Government appoints mediator for teacher negotiations

The Ministry of Education has taken the initial step towards the implementation of Bill 22 with the appointment of Charles Jago as mediator for teacher-employer negotiations. But it's an appointment that concerns the teachers' union, who say Jago's previous work for, and financial contributions to, the Liberal government make him biased.

Education Minister George Abbott discussed Jago's appointment with reporters during a conference call this morning, saying Jago's previous position as head of the University of Northern British Columbia, his position on the Northern Health Board of B.C., and his appointment to the Order of Canada in 2004, are just some of the experiences and accomplishments that make Jago right for the job.

"I think everything around the life and the achievements of Dr. Jago point to him possessing the requisite skills to make some progress in what has been to date an intractable dispute where there's been little progress," Abbott told reporters.

Jago, who also spoke with the media this morning, called the task at hand "mission impossible", and admitted he had no previous mediation experience.

But he believes his previous bargaining experience on the employer's side at universities in both B.C. and Ontario mean he can bring something to the table in the current bargaining stalemate.

"One would have to question the wisdom of the government for appointing someone like me, but I do have related skills, and maybe the fact that mediation hasn't worked out in the past has influenced the thinking that it's timely to take a new approach," he says, adding he wouldn't have accepted the job if he didn't think he could do it.

"I go into this with a lot of related experience and with a passion for education and with a desire to help the parties solve their current problems, which I think is essential if there's going to be stability within the education sector, and a kind of stability that is of benefit to students."

Jago previously contributed* to the Liberal party, which Jago says was for entry to a charity golf tournament and that he normally does not contribute to political parties.

Jago is also the co-author of a 2006 report for the government's Progress Board on public education.

The combination of these two factors are enough to raise the suspicions of BCTF President Susan Lambert, who says she's concerned about Jago's biases.

"This is a person who has ties to the Liberal party, doesn't have experience in labour relations, is an academic researcher, and has no experience in the public education system has been commissioned to work for the Liberals at the Progress Board level and has done a paper," says Lambert.

"For me that rings alarm bells."

The union has previously spoken out against the mediation process as outlined under Bill 22: Education Improvement Act, which requires a mediator's recommendations to stay within the government's net-zero mandate.

Nevertheless the BCTF had suggested Justices Stephen Kelleher and Ian Donald as possible mediators, but Abbott said both were unable to leave the court to mediate. He maintains Jago will be independent, and that this is a better solution for both sides than a legislated collective agreement.

"We could have legislated a solution to this dispute. We chose not to do that. We chose to put in place a constructed path for the parties that we hope will lead to a mediated solution here," he says.

But Lambert says despite all appearances, this path is not good for teachers.

"It's like a Hansel and Gretel story: we're being led down a path, to a very fine candy-coated house, but inside there's a major risk for us. And that major risk, it seems to me, is a net-zero mandate and further concessions to our collective agreement." * Updated 2:32 p.m., March 28, 2012

Katie Hyslop reports on education and youth issues for The Tyee Solutions Society.

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