Vince Ready to the Rescue?

With both sides of the British Columbia Public School teachers dispute looking to save a little face. A famous name in BC Labour is being called into service, to try and find some common ground between the two sides. Vince Ready contacted both sides today, acting as a facilitator to try and bring an end to a bitter and acrimonious little moment in BC labour history.

As called for in Podunk earlier this week, Ready stands ready if you will, to do what it takes to bring this situation to a positive conclusion. The teachers union president Jinny Sims, calls Ready's involvement a ray of hope. While BC Labour Minister Mike DeJong offers up a declaration that he won't stand in the way of Ready contacting the teachers. Which is about as close as this government ever gets to acknowledging that they may soon have to actually talk to the teachers once again.

In other strike related notes, the BC Supreme Court will not hand down a judgment on the contempt of court issue until Friday morning. (Perhaps Ready opened up a channel to the judiciary as well). While the BC Fed says it is still full speed ahead with planned protests across the province until the teachers are allowed to negotiate again.

The moves come as public opinion swings towards the teachers and their position, a subtle nudge to Gordon Campbell that perhaps he and his crew have mis-calculated their stand this time.

With nothing to happen from the courts until Friday, that effectively gives Ready two days to cobble some kind of arrangement together to allow both sides to claim a victory while at the same time returning some sanity to the education process in BC. If Ready can't get it done, it's doubtful anyone can and then who knows what turn this nasty little war will take!