So, since the Deputy Prime Minister thinks it went well, we wondered what the BNTU's takeaway from the meeting was. When they exited the meeting, we asked them about Faber's assertions that a breakthrough had occurred, and here's how the President SENATOR Elena Smith answered that one:
Elena Smith, National President, B.N.T.U.
"Well indeed we did make some progress on some of the matters that we raised and there are other matters that we need to work together to fully ventilate those and come to agreement on those areas."
Reporter
"Okay, so would you be willing to give us details in which areas you felt good progress was made or which areas you feel that the B.N.T.U. feels that needs to be more addressed?"
Elena Smith
"Well in terms of the proposed amendments, the matter of the vacation period, you know that that was a big issue, and so that, we agreed that those would remain as is and so there would no longer be amendments to the vacation rules. The matter of contracts as well, we've agreed that contracts will be given to teachers and those would be indefinite contracts, but there are some other areas in the contract that would need to get some legal advice on them before we proceed and it was also agreed that in doing that the final document would be shared with us so that teachers would be satisfied that in that contract it would indicate or it would show when those teachers initially began teaching."
"We would have to go back to our membership, we would have to inform them of today's results and then for them then to give us a final mandate having heard the results of today's meeting."
Reporter
"Really and truly based on the other issues that remain, there is no need now, because you've had this results this morning."
Elena Smith
"We've had some results."
Reporter
"Major results though."
Elena Smith
"Some of this can be considered major, but there is also a huge one too that we've not have any final today, but we have agreement that we will be working on them in the near future."
Reporter
"As a member of the council of management today, do you feel that the concerns that the teachers have have been adequately addressed that there will be no need for any further escalation?"
Elena Smith
"We do believe that some of them have been addressed in a manner that they would accept. We also know that there might be some issues with an aspect that we discuss today and so that why we are going back to see what is going to be their take, but ensuring that when we do so we present to them all the reasons for the decisions that were made today so that they can understand the reasoning behind those and then see what they will mandate us to do thereafter."
As you heard the BNTU's council of management will now report back to the membership to get their reaction on the compromises reached on their concerns.
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