B.C.’s education minister says the teachers’ union's call for binding arbitration was a “ploy” to deflect responsibility about the months-long job action.

Peter Fassbender says he feels like he’s reliving “Groundhog Day” in his dealings with the B.C. Teachers' Federation.

The minister says the BCTF “knew very well” that the province would reject binding arbitration when it was first called for, but went public with the idea anyway.

Fassbender reiterated that the B.C. government is not interested in going to binding arbitration, saying it will not put the matter in front of a third-party.

“It is not in the cards. It is not fiscally responsible. The BCTF needs to be prepared to put a mediated settlement in front of their members that addresses class size and composition,” Fassbender said.

The minister said his government gave the BCTF a “viable” proposal a week and a half ago that could have put children back in school.

“I’m not going to speculate,” Fassbender said when asked how much longer he would allow children to be out of school.

His comments come just hours after the union representing teachers said its members will vote Wednesday on whether they're prepared to end their province-wide job action if the government agrees to binding arbitration – and drops a contract clause over class size and composition.

B.C. Teachers' Federation President Jim Iker called the government’s rejection of binding arbitration this weekend a "knee-jerk reaction,” and says it is the only feasible solution to end the months-long strike.

“A yes vote will end the strike and get kids back in school,” Iker told reporters. “We need an end to this dispute.”

Initially proposed late last week, the idea of binding arbitration was quashed over the weekend following a recommendation from the BC Public School Employers’ Association’s chief negotiator Peter Cameron.

Fassbender dismissed the call as another empty effort to give parents and teachers a hope that there is a simple way to resolve the ongoing dispute, which includes years of court action.

B.C.’s finance minister says it would cost every property owner in the province an additional $200 in taxes per year if the government bowed to the union’s demands.

Mike de Jong said the union needs to make realistic demands that taxpayers can afford.

But Iker says he believes the teachers’ dispute can be settled without a tax hike.

Meanwhile, the B.C. NDP is urging the government to accept the offer of binding arbitration, to get the province’s children back in the classroom.

“We're on uncharted territory where we've had the longest strike in B.C. history. It's time that we put an end to it,” said Party Leader John Horgan.

Horgan says his party would accept the deal if it was in power.

“This is vindictive and petty. It's not in the interest of children. It's not in the interest of teachers; it's not in the interest of the economy. To drag this on helps no one, not even the premier in my view.”

Results of the vote are expected to be released sometime Wednesday night.