Minister of Education George Abbott has issued the following statement: "Last week, I introduced Bill 22, which sets a cooling off period and suspends the teachers' union strike action while calling on the assistance of a mediator.

Finance Minister Kevin Falcon has issued the following statement: "The B.C. Teachers Federation has mounted an illegal picket line outside several government buildings in Victoria and is encouraging unionized staff not to enter their workplaces.

Minister of Education George Abbott issued a statement on Bill 22.

New capital funding announced as part of Budget 2012-13 will allow an expanded zone office and new provincial wildfire training centre to be built in Merritt.

Government introduced Bill 22 today, the Education Improvement Act, that suspends the teachers' strike action and sets a "cooling off" period, appoints a mediator to facilitate bargaining, and implements a new $165-million Learning Improvement Fund and other enhancements to K-12 education.

The BC Public School Employers' Association (BCPSEA) board of directors has ratified another set of two-year collective agreements for support staff in seven school districts under the government's 2010 net-zero mandate.

The assistant deputy minister of industrial relations has issued his report to Labour Minister Margaret MacDiarmid outlining the likelihood of a voluntarily negotiated agreement between the BC Teachers' Federation and the BC Public School Employers' Association.

The BC Public School Employers' Association (BCPSEA) board of directors has ratified two-year collective agreements for support staff in 11 school districts under the government's 2010 net-zero mandate.

A panel has ruled in favour of four western Canadian provinces in a trade dispute against unnecessary barriers to Certified General Accountants.