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By: Andrew Weichel, ctvbc.ca
Date: Wednesday Aug. 31, 2011 4:36 PM PT
The B.C. Teachers Federation says it has filed a strike notice that will take effect on the first day of the 2011-2012 school year.
Federation president Susan Lambert announced the pending job action at a press conference Wednesday morning, lamenting the lack of progress achieved since bargaining began in March.
"What the government has done in this round of bargaining is come to the table with a mandate that is simply a refusal to bargain," Lambert said.
Teachers have been threatening a work-to-rule action for weeks as contract talks with the province have failed to result in an agreement.
Beginning Tuesday, classes will be in session, but teachers will not conduct routine administrative tasks, including filling out forms, collecting data or meeting with principals and other administrators.
They also will not be supervising playgrounds, writing report cards or conducting parent-teacher interviews.
But these terms only represents "Phase 1" of the job action, which teachers say could escalate if bargaining does not progress. They are asking for smaller class sizes, higher salaries and the right to bargain at the local level.
Education Minister George Abbott said Wednesday that the strike notice comes as no surprise, and the ministry is aware that teachers are dissatisfied with the bargaining process and the province's "net zero" mandate for all public sector wages.
"I respect that they would like to see [a wage increase]. We were able to provide a 12 per cent increase back in 2006," Abbott said. "We just don't have the flexibility that we had."
Abbott said he hopes the BCTF will eventually be convinced to accept the government's terms and avoid a full-blown strike.
"The possibility of having a protracted shutdown of schools would be unacceptable to any government, and certainly it would be unacceptable to us," Abbott said.
But Lambert said B.C. teachers' wages are falling behind their colleagues in other provinces, and have already sacrificed too much to give up on their other demands.
"Teachers for years sacrificed wages and benefit improvements in order to get collective agreement language around class size, composition and service ratios," Lambert said.
"What this government's doing is making choices like building the BC Place roof…. There is funding available."
Beginning Tuesday, classes will be in session, but teachers will not conduct routine administrative tasks, including filling out forms, collecting data or meeting with principals and other administrators.
They also will not be supervising playgrounds, writing report cards or conducting parent-teacher interviews.
But these terms only represents "Phase 1" of the job action, which teachers say could escalate if bargaining does not progress. They are asking for smaller class sizes, higher salaries and the right to bargain at the local level.
Collective bargaining legislation requires any union which wants to take *any action* (this includes something as small as wearing a pin to inform of the issue) must give strike notice, which is essentially worded:
"In the future at some point we will be willing to go on strike over some stuff if we can't reach an agreement in the mean time."
The comment about the 12% raise is semi-redirection. From the teachers I have talked to, the main issue is class size and composition; something that was removed from collective bargaining in the last contract negotiations because the then-government passed legislation (which was later found to be unconstitutional) mandating the removal of those provisions from any teaching contract. Something the media might not focus on is the contract before the 12%, teachers actually agreed to a 0-0-0 three-year agreement, on the condition the government increase hiring, reduce class sizes and increase the number of special needs assistants and teachers. The government failed to hold up their end and the teachers got pissed and dug in their heels.
Obviously, I'm taking the teachers' side on this one (not saying they or unions are always right), so it bothers me how people are already writing "teachers on strike!" Headlines when really they're still teaching and doing everything that students and parents would normally see, with the exception of report cards.
Also, teachers will meet with parents still, but will not participate in the board/administrator managed PTIs. So saying that they won't be doing parent-teacher interviews is a half-truth. Posted via RS Mobile
So no report cards will affect early admission to uni?
Although having no report cards may not be important to elementary and high school kids up to grade 11, I am pretty sure report cards are crucial to the grade 12s.............
__________________
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Originally Posted by !Aznboi128
me: can I tap that
her: why are all guys asking the same f**king question?
me: i uno.... so can I tap that
her: stfu you got a gf
me: tap together?
Fuck public schools, last thing I want is for my kid to get a degree on striking. Who goes on strike more often than teachers? It's every two years tops.
Fuck public schools, last thing I want is for my kid to get a degree on striking. Who goes on strike more often than teachers? It's every two years tops.
So you are okay with your kids going to school for 13 years where every class is over-full and understaffed, as long as the teachers don't go on strike?
Sometimes we tend to be in despair when the person we love leaves us, but the truth is, it's not our loss, but theirs, for they left the only person who couldn't give up on them.
Make the effort and take the risk..
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." - Eleanor Roosevelt
From the teachers I have talked to, the main issue is class size and composition;
Then they can voluntarily take a pay cut so more teachers can be hired. Its that simple.
The suggestion that their wages and benefits are falling behind other provinces, yet they want to be able to locally collect bargain is hypocrisy. Of course their wages are below other provinces (namely Alberta) cause BC has an excess of teachers while Alberta struggles to fill positions. If they really wanted to collectively bargain locally they'd leave out what other provinces are making and focus on that there's a lot of teachers out of work who could be reducing class sizes if they took a pay cut to hire more.
Its disgusting that this union is holding kids hostage cause the want more money. I have 2 out of work teachers as friends who'd gladly take a job for less money.
Oh and lets add the $3B hole just introduced in the budget, it means no provincial union is getting an increase until this is filled. If the teachers were smart they would've campaigned to keep the HST as there'd be more money available. If you see a teacher complaining that had a "YES" HST sign, tell them they got what they voted for.
To make class sizes smaller you need more teachers right? You need money for teachers but they w ant higher wages...? Is that how it works? I can't think of any other ways to make classes smaller. Posted via RS Mobile
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I don't get the whole class room size In Hk(where I study till grade 3), china, japan, Korea each classroom have around 40+ kids yet we did fine. I don't see how having just 30+ kids is so hard to teach.
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pretty damned good job security
collective bargaining
12% every 4 years
guaranteed cost of living adjustment
2 months off
If you work in the private sector, you'll see how out of control that list is.
How many of those 5 items do you think we get in the private sector.
I'd give my left testicle for 2 of those items.
I don't get the whole class room size In Hk(where I study till grade 3), china, japan, Korea each classroom have around 40+ kids yet we did fine. I don't see how having just 30+ kids is so hard to teach.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Culverin
I'd give my left testicle for 2 of those items.
or................. you can take the required courses and get into the profession.
Sick of politicians getting cushy job with great pension? Become one.
Jelly of how much nurses make with their overtime? Become one.
Hate execs who make six digit salary? Become one.
Sick of lawyers making a tonne of money? Become one.
Want to screw women all day long? Become a porn star.
Wanna be a rock star? Go right ahead......... money for nothing and your chicks for free.
Every job has its price/toll. Not everyone can do the job or is cut out for it.
If nurses were going on strike/job action, people would be all over how it's an easy job, blah, blah, blah. Walk a mile in people's shoes before you talk shit.
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No worries, no offence taken at all.
On the other side of the coin of "like perks, then become one", because of all those "perks" they already have, I don't think they have ever made a strong case for wage increases.
While I understand class sizes (especially for children) does factor into how much attention a teacher can give each student. It very much seems that it has become a bargaining chip and a bit of an unrelated excuse so they can string along for wage increases. I'd honestly have a lot more respect for the teacher's side if they went to bat for updated text books, teaching materials, equipment, paid workshops and the like. Maybe the teachers do that kind of stuff right now, but it happens behind the scenes? It sure as heck isn't public that it's a priority for them. So if they deserve my support, they sure as heck haven't demonstrated it and therefore don't command it.
Anyways, back to the main topic. I'm just saying, as things stand, their position sounds pretty cushy already. They just plain haven't made a strong case for to improve their compensation. And jelly or not, this isn't about some 6-figure Exec or Blood Sucking Layer. It's kinda my tax money going into it. So I do get to voice my opinion.
Side note:
I know the education system (especially at higher levels) is about jumping through a bunch of hoops. But unfortunately, that's not how I learn.
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