B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Susan Lambert isn’t just fighting the government over Bill 22 — she’s also fighting for her job.
Union members decide Tuesday whether Lambert deserves another term as president or whether it’s time for a change at the top during a leadership vote at the BCTF annual general meeting in Vancouver.
Among the challengers is Rick Guenther, a current member of the BCTF executive committee and teacher of 30 years who has advocated taking a less adversarial approach to negotiations.
“I’m in favour of trying to negotiate solutions to problems,” Guenther said Monday. “That doesn’t mean you give up the farm. When you can’t (negotiate), that’s when you fight … but I do not believe fight is the first option.”
Guenther said leadership races within the BCTF have been non-existent for a decade and feels more frequent challenges and votes would be “healthier” for the union, giving its members a chance to reflect on the job the executive is doing.
Lambert, meanwhile, is so focused on the union’s next move in the labour dispute that she seemed surprised at re-election questions during a media scrum Monday.
“There’s a thought,” she laughed. “I’m also running for re-election.… That is a Tuesday-morning vote, and the members will decide.”
Local news from metronews.ca/vancouver
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