Spring break is over and school is back in session as usual B次元官网网址� likely until at least mid-month.
On April 17 and 18 B.C. TeachersB次元官网网址� Federation members will once again vote on whether or not to further resist Bill 22, the Education Improvement Act. The decision was made during the BCTFB次元官网网址檚 annual general meeting March 17 through 22.
The Act was passed March 15 following months of work-to-rule job by the provinceB次元官网网址檚 41,000 teachers and a provincewide walkout March 5. The legislation includes fines of $1.3 million a day for the union and $475 a day for individual teachers who continue to strike B次元官网网址� an action plan the Greater Victoria TeachersB次元官网网址� Association asked some 700 teachersB次元官网网址� association delegates to support at the AGM.
GVTA delegates distributed buttons and leaflets asking other associations not to return to work until there is a genuine negotiation, mediation, or arbitration process and the fines are dropped.
The document addresses fears of fines as well as of wages lost during a walkout.
B次元官网网址淔irst, there may be no lost days,B次元官网网址� it reads. B次元官网网址淭he threat of a walkout is often enough to get the employer back to the table and more willing to negotiate.B次元官网网址�
The leaflet goes on to discuss a potential loss of public support given wage negotiations. Due to teachersB次元官网网址� great work, it reads, polls reflect significant public support for their issues, including a pay increase.
B次元官网网址淲e were not alone,B次元官网网址� Tara Ehrcke, GVTA president said of the plan not to return to the classroom after spring break. B次元官网网址淲e presented that as an option during the debate and it wasnB次元官网网址檛 exactly what was chosen in the end, but the plan that was adopted includes a future vote for a full withdrawal.B次元官网网址�
If supported by the membership next month, the BCTFB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渂old plan of actionB次元官网网址� will include a withdrawal of extracurricular voluntary activities and incite a second vote on whether or not to stage another walkout. It also includes a public education component. Several individual teachersB次元官网网址� associations have chosen to act outside of BCTF directives, such as the Sooke School District, which voted in favour of withdrawing extracurricular voluntary activities immediately.
The GVTA was set to meet Monday, after the 狈别飞蝉B次元官网网址� deadline. Members will have the chance to discuss their next course of action, Ehrcke said, confirming individual associationsB次元官网网址� autonomy.
Regardless of action, students will receive their end of year report cards. Teachers did not and have no intentions of issuing March report cards, Ehrcke said. The legal move under their work-to-rule job action was approved by the MInistry of Education and explained to parents by Greater Victoria School District superintendent John Gaiptman in a March 8 letter sent home with students.
Bill 22 reinstates restrictions on class size and composition support that the Liberals stripped from Bills 27 and 28 B次元官网网址� action which was deemed unconstitutional in a Supreme Court ruling last spring.
B次元官网网址淭o take out of Bill 27 and 28 what was ruled unconstitutional and put it right back in Bill 22 word-for word B次元官网网址� of course weB次元官网网址檙e going back to court,B次元官网网址� said Jim Iker, BCTF first vice-president. B次元官网网址淲hat we wanted was an independent mediator or arbitrator, instead what we got was a sham mediation process.B次元官网网址�
Education Minister George Abbott is expected to appoint a mediator sometime this week upon his return from a trip to China.
TeachersB次元官网网址� average base salaries 2011-12
Greater Victoria $69,512
Saanich $72,498
Sooke $69,612
