No Classes Today As Teachers Set Up Information Pickets
Monday, March 5, 2012 @ 4:00 AM
Group of teachers outside Duchess Park Secondary School this morning
Prince George, B.C. – The school week of March 19th to 23rd is supposed to be Spring Break in School District 57, but it’s possible that could change in light of job action by teachers which escalates into a full-scale strike today.
41-thousand B.C. teachers are withdrawing their services today, Tuesday and Wednesday in line with a Labour Relations Board ruling which states they can legally strike for three days in the first week of strike action in their current contract dispute. Striking would be limited to one day in subsequent weeks, but the situation may not reach that point as the government’s contentious legislation ordering an end to strike action is expected to pass into law this week.
Disctrict 57 has 15,782 students who will not be receiving instruction for the first three days of this week. The President of the Prince George and District Teachers Association, Matt Pearce, says it is not clear at this point whether lost instructional time will be made up after the strike is terminated. He says teachers are not paid for time off the job and do not normally make that time up. It remains to be seen what orders the government might issue regarding the lost time question.
Meantime Pearce suggests anyone interested in the issues in the dispute should read the government’s legislation. He says while Bill 22 obliterates the right to collective bargaining for teachers, the Education Improvement Act does enormous harm to the education of children for the ten months starting this September.
Teachers will set up information pickets, not picket lines, at the schools from 7a.m. to 4p.m. today. That will be the case again Tuesday and Wednesday provided Bill 22 has not been made into law. There is sno bus service today and tomorrow, and although parents are requested not to send their children to school, the schools will be open with administrative staff providing supervision. Support workers are expected to report to work. There’s word some support workers may support the teachers by joining them before and after school hours and during lunch breaks.
One other note: Friday is a scheduled Pro-D day in District 57, so the students would be out of school that day as well.
Comments
If they really cared about the students and the taxpayers of this Province they would be striking for an increase in education funding that did not end up in their pocket, not for more money so they can increase the gap between the average British Columbian and themselves.
…and the same could be said about the Liberals – if they really cared about the teachers they would sit down and negotiate ‘all’ the issues with a mediator and not run a dictatorship and create new laws to obliterate bargianing rights just so they can achieve what they want. Today it’s the teachers, tomorrow it will be other public sector workers.
Education-The aspect of learning is something we never stop doing til we die.So when it comes to education in the classroom you would think our Government would impose what’s best for the people.That is what they hope we beleive,but not their true motives.Only the dollar in their pocket is what matters to them today.This past few decades Canada has seen one of the most corrupt, self centered governments we have yet to conquer.We,as a people have been distracted by other motives called “marketing” to pre-occupy our minds while the gov. supresses us with stupidity.(they wouldn’t be spending money on ads to educate us on things we should have learned in the classroom as children,hence,money better spent??)If teachers are one of our children’s(we all grew from children) biggest influences during a critical growing time,shouldn’t they be paid accordingly?As important to the progress of life as some other professions,but not wage comparable.”You reap what you sow”,does that mean perhaps our politicians could have been wiser if the education system was higher when they were children….?We know,if the teachers are happy,our childrens enviroment is more positive,therefore learning becomes more enjoyable,and children can be amazing who they are.Everyone wins when the children get smarter…except maybe the gov.They’ll look like the dummies!!Remember the old saying “what goes around,comes around”,perhaps our government should return to the classroom after we improve the system as they seem to have not learned these morals.(perhaps because of budget cuts back in their day of schooling…..)
“The school week of March 19th to 23rd is supposed to be Spring Break in School District 57, but itâs possible that could change in light of job action by teachers which escalates into a full-scale strike today.”
Does this suggest that spring break will be canceled and schools will be open for business? Schools will likely be empty anyway. How many families have trips to Mexico, Disneyland or wherever planned..
Also… I thought they were not allowed to picket. Every school I passed had picketers. Call it information picketing if you like but its a sign stapled onto a stick and marching up and down the side walk. Looks like picketing to me. I have no issue with it personally but call it what it is…
vocer… they are allowed to picket while holding a sign stapled to a piece of wood. What they are not allowed to do is picket with a sandwich board style sign draped over their shoulders.
What’s the difference between a sign on a stick and a sign on yourself? That’s a ridiculous distinction to make.
Picket lines are not to be crossed by union members and most people who are part of other unions will not cross a picket line. Information lines can be crossed.
“Does this suggest that spring break will be canceled and schools will be open for business? Schools will likely be empty anyway. How many families have trips to Mexico, Disneyland or wherever planned..”
Yes they will miss another week of school if they cancel spring break and you take your kids out for that sepcial trip.
Isn’t it funny how people are so worried about missing three days of school but have no problem taking them out for a trip.
He was making a joke huntergirl. The difference between a picket line and and the information lines they’ve set up is that other unions are allowed to cross the info line but not a picket line.
NoWay… Isn’t it funny how people are so worried about missing three days of school but have no problem taking them out for a trip.
I’m quite sure there is concern but plans for trips while the kids are officially “off” school have likely been booked and paid for months ago…
‘How many families have trips to Mexico, Disneyland or wherever planned..’
Just families where at least one parent has a cushy union job.
For the rest of us private sector flunkies, not so much.
huntergirl… I also think Pylot was kidding but your are right.. sign on a stick or a sandwich board.. it’s still picketing. Either way most teachers are encouraging the cupe members (support staff) to just go to work.. This should not be a problem..
UNIONS….protect and serve the weak and lazy!!!!
everyone else suffers!!!!
Maybe pgdealer you would have working conditions like those in say china where you can work in a sawmill that has no union and you can make .50 cents a day with no safety. Give your head a big shake. Unions are the reason there is a strong middle class in this country. Without them the gap between rich and poor grows wider
People on the information line —
Keep your Dogs (pets) at home unless they are seeing eye dogs. NOT all like your dogs (pets) like you do.
I like hearing from the poor non union commenter’s. Reinforces the reason for unions.
Give them what they and go through the same thing again in 3-4 years. Gimme,gimme gimme. The tax payers will pay for it.Take from our pockets to stuff the teachers pockets.
Nice dog. He/she looks so obedient; must of be well taught ;)
Rocky… The family’s who have vacation plans ARE the private sector flunkies…. I have done these trips with my kids and I’m not union.
Whoops, the above message didn’t come out so well; I must not have been very well taught :)
That’s the way it works retired senior otherwise they wouldn’t take income tax off of your pension checks.
If there wasn’t any unions there would be less people working. Companies would just work you 7 days a week. 2 days off in a row? On the weekend? 2 days off in a row period? Oh and you want holidays? Sorry sonny if you work here you are mine! And don’t turn off your phone.
Kids are not in school and the BC Finance Minister is rubbing his hands together in glee. 11 million wage dollars per day estimated stay in the governments pocket. Governments can handle short term heat for financial gain, it’s a known fact. Let them fund their own collective agreement cost says the Finance Minister. Been to Victoria and heard and seen this play many times before. Provincial/Local rallies and protests are good for your soul, but do you think they will make a difference. NOT!!! Being heard is important, however, money talks and proteters walk in the eyes of Finance.
vocer and huntergirl…
Sadly, I wasn’t kidding. My best friend is a teacher, and he told me last week those picket sign restrictions were passed along to them. They are allowed sticks & cardboard, but not sandwich board style picket signs.
You can imagine my eye-roll when I was told that.
Teachers understand that parents are inconvenienced, but they have a professional duty to take a stand for students and their own professional rights. Public education has deteriorated in the last decade and will not improve if we do nothing. Bill 22 means no class size limits. Bill 22 means no limits for special needs kids in classes. Therefore, a class could have more than 35 students with 30 special needs students in it. Bill 22 does not provide real funding increase for students. With the actual budget, 100 million dollars will be cut from public education. Bill 22 does not restore class size and class composition status that were removed from teachers bargaining rights and found to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of BC (bill 27 and bill 28). Bill 22 also provides the mean for the employers to fire teachers after one single evaluation without having any recourse.
Bill 22 takes away the rights that are provided for unionized workers to a fair bargaining process. It makes striking regulations that were approved by the Labour Board Relation invalid. Bill 22 is one of many laws that this government has imposed on teachers in the last 10 years. Most of these were found to be unconstitutional such as bill 42, which imposed a “gag law” on teachers before the election compaign..
Mediation is not mediation if the outcome is pre-determine. A net-zero mandate does not permit the negotiation. Under bill 22, teachers cannot discuss class size because it is forbidden. Teachers cannot discuss the maximum of students with special needs in a classroom nor can they discuss preparation, or salary increase, because it is forbidden. Bill 22 imposes a two year salary freeze. Also, bill 22, allows parties to negotiate local matters with school district but makes them invalid after June 20, 2013 and will than have to be renegotiated at the provincial level. Bill 22 first repeals and then re-imposes bill 27 and bill 28 that are said to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Bill 22 does not say what ” compensation” teachers might receive if classes exceed 30 students. The Learning Improvement Fund has no specific amount set and is part of the Education budget already. Bill 22 also says that government will be the one deciding what teachers will work on and study on professional development days. This is ridiculous because all schools are different and have different needs.
Lastly, donât be misguided and think that teachers only work 6 hours a day. Teachers who care will put a minimum of 4 to 5 hours a day to improve their curriculum, contact parents when needed and do marking. Often they will put their own family time aside to provide other children a proper education.
Please take a stand for students and teachers and write to your MLA.
Education is what makes a nation strong. Governments do not like educated voters as they can’t control them. Therefore government will destroy an education system that works for the “dirty” mass.
I believe that the greedy ones are the politicians that keep giving themselves raises and take massive pensions and other benefits. The politicians should earn the same as basic the basic pension. And please do not tell me that we have to pay them more to get better people, it seems that since we have been paying them more we are getting worse representation. Being a politician was never to be a full time career.
Because people are focusing much of their rage on the wages portion of the contract with Teachers (which is understandable in some ways), I’m curious as to why there is so little rage for the wage increases MLA’s have given themselves over the years.
Average Salaries for MLA’s
2001 – $56,000
2010 – $114,000
I guess everybody needs to take a pay cut or pay freeze to keep these increases coming for the poor down trodden MLAs?
As posted by Pylot Project:
Average Salaries for MLA’s
2001 – $56,000
2010 – $114,000
Hey, good prevaricators do not come cheap.
metalman.
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