The B.C. Teachers’ Federation says it has no plans to suspend its strike.

The TF called a news conference following the premier’s address and accused the government of remaining entrenched, inflexible and unwilling to bargain.

BCTF President Jim Iker says the two sides are not that far apart — only one year apart on the length of the contract and only one per cent apart on wages.

However, the government has previously said that when benefits are factored in, the difference is closer to four per cent.

Iker says the teachers are also asking for $175 million to be set aside in a special fund in the first year while the government appeals a B.C. Supreme Court decision stemming from its 2002 decision to strip class size and composition from the teacher’s collective agreement.

“Even the government’s own staff testified in court that the unconstitutional legislation they passed in 2002 stripped about $300 million a year from our classrooms,” he said.

Teachers in the province have been on strike and locked out since June, and there are no talks scheduled to end the dispute that has kept public school students out of classes for the start of the school year.