Abbott Willing to Meet with BCTF
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 @ 9:54 AM
Prince George, B.C.- Education Minister George Abbott says he is still willing to meet with the BCTF but is well aware history would suggest that isn’t likely to happen “I’m an old timer in the place (legislature), reading the tea leaves, I’m guessing that I’m going to be the latest in a long line of Education Ministers who had to legislate solutions to a dispute here."
Speaking on the Meisner program on CFISFM this morning, Abbott says he doesn’t feel good about being the latest in a long line of Education Ministers having to legislate a solution to the dispute "I hate the legacy of one successful round of collective bargaining in 30 years of efforts and of course that was back in 2006. I remain ready willing and able to sit down at any point with Susan (Lambert) and her leadership team at the BCTF, we can do it on a without prejudice basis, I can walk through all our intentions through all of the areas. I know that we may still agree to disagree, but at least we would have had the conversation, which we haven’t had, about what government’s intentions here are, so I still hold out a little hope, but I also recognize history doesn’t point in that direction.”
Abbott says the mediator to be appointed under Bill 22, will be able to discuss a host of topics, as long as wage increases remain at net zero which means there would have to be savings found elsewhere within the education system.
Bill 22, which will end any job action by the teachers, is expected to be completed and passed by the end of next week. Abbott says the debate on the bill will continue today and tomorrow, with the House expected to rise on Thursday and resume debate on Monday.
Teachers are off the job today, the third day of their permitted job action. They are also able to be off the job on Monday although the BC Teachers Federation has not indicated if it will exercise that option as many school districts are on Spring Break next week ( SD57 spring break starts on the 19th).
The teachers action continues today with a demonstration walk planned for 11:30 this morning in front of the old Integris Union building at Parkwood, and with a special rally slated for 6 tonight at the Civic Centre Plaza.
Comments
Abbott: “…Iâm guessing that Iâm going to be the latest in a long line of Education Ministers who had to legislate solutions to a dispute here.”
Sad, but true. Governments come and go, but it’s always the same old BCTF.
“Iâm an old timer in the place (legislature)…”
Yup, and he needs to be put out to pasture. This present conflict aside, Abbott poisons everything he touches, for the benefit of Liberal agenda, and not for the betterment of the people of BC.
People are soon to forget how he brutalized the BC health care system.
A conversation that they haven’t had yet? After ten months at the bargaining table none of the government’s points were discussed? Whose fault is that? According to the local teacher rep the BCTF presented its opening position (highballing as is usually the case at the start of negotiations) and has revised its position during the 10 months. The BCSPEA, lame duck that it is, had no authority to move from its opening position and sits with what its had all along. Enter the master, the government, with Bill 22 which will impose a settlement through a ministerially-appointed mediator with very narrow terms of reference. That’s called mediation? On, and its non-binding so if the mediator slips up and gives the teachers something the government can so, no we don’t have to accept that. BCSPEA didn’t have to do a thing and should be disbanded. Abbott’s claim that the discussion hasn’t taken place is bogus because they wanted no discussion; the teacher “contract” is not negotiable.
Pardon the typos in the Charlie Babbitt piece. Second last line should be “Oh”, and “the government can say” not “so”.
“Iâm guessing that Iâm going to be the latest in a long line of Education Ministers who had to legislate solutions to a dispute here”
Yup, Governments come and go but it’s always the same old dictatorships that ram legislation down the throats of the workers in this province.
Why would the teachers talk to this clown. Dont they normaly bargain witht he School boords associatin in our province. But I guess our corporations come first. They need all they can get for the share holders.
Cheers
“Yup, Governments come and go but it’s always the same old dictatorships that ram legislation down the throats of the workers in this province.”
Oh please. Other unions can seem to negotiate settlements, and the BCTF shows time and time again it cannot.
You can’t keep pointing the finger at government, although the BCTF keeps doing it… “It’s not us, it’s them” Sure…
“Other unions can seem to negotiate settlements”
Possibly, if they aren’t negotiating with the Prov. Liberals or the Fed Gov’t. They don’t know how to negotiate. They only know how to dictate and litigate.
Another example… Remember the Air Canada strike a while back and the Conservatives were going to force them back to work? The Prov. Liberals are just following that example.
Do you honestly think the upcoming HEU negotiations are going to go any smoother?
Just so there’s no misunderstanding. I’m not a union person. Never have been. But I do defend their right to strike.
The system is broken. The teachers and school district have a disfunctional relationship, from the standardized testing to the contract negotiations, it has all fallen apart.
Lets dismantle the entire thing. Attach the funding to each student and let the parents decide where they will go to school. Parents know what is best for their kids, not a teachers union nor a government.
The problem with a voucher system is that it benefits those that can afford more the most. All it does is add to the already widening gap between rich and poor.
JohnnyBelt, please do some research before your next statements. Please look up and check on how many other unions negotiated a deal, or were forced into the situation.
so smooth, bring everyone down to the lowest denomenator???? typical dipper..
The voucher system is great for the people who have means, geography would also be an asset. Schools that are more affluent would be better able to cherry pick the better teachers, have more money for programs, of course this is great for some.
Living in an rural area could mean your choices are very limited. Producing entire schools with poor teachers and poor programs, producing an unemployable product.
Our school system needs improvement not a system that would produce a larger systematic failure for the citizens of BC.
Of course this is a perfect system for a Repulican mindset as privatizing the public school system would no doubt produce a great business opportunity for our BC Liberal/Rebulican government in Victoria for their friends. Just like the private Healthcare in the USA there is plenty of money to be made in privatizing the public education system, something there is no doubt our BC Liberals would love to do.
Not only being able to pick teachers but also able to pick their students making other schools with the burden of teaching the undesirables.
Smooth:
The Government currently fund each student about $10000. A quick search for tuition for private schools in be comes up with values in the $4000-12000 range for day (non boarding programs). So clearly the private sector can do more with less. The government funding is sufficient. The voucher system will make the gap narrower between the rich and poor, because it will open up the option for private schools to the poor, especially since the government funding is more than their tuition costs.
Smooth:
The Government currently fund each student about $10000. A quick search for tuition for private schools in be comes up with values in the $4000-12000 range for day (non boarding programs). So clearly the private sector can do more with less. The government funding is sufficient. The voucher system will make the gap narrower between the rich and poor, because it will open up the option for private schools to the poor, especially since the government funding is more than their tuition costs.
This whole scenario is a “Paul Ramsey” all over again. It’s not the Liberals—it’s any BC government. The only half decent government I remember, was Socred in the late 50’s early sixties. I went to Ontario for most of the sixties. Note that I said “half” decent.
to Taxed Out!, when you say poor teachers, do you mean $ or ability, because as it stands the BCTF wants nothing to do with teacher assessment…why is that?
or are you admitting that the union protects “poor” teachers.
Imonai>>the union protects ALL teachers.
;-) In fact the union is required to provide fair and equitable representation to ALL members of the union. :-)
I remember Paul Ramsey. Seems to me I recollect coming across an old “Recall Paul Ramsey” bumper sticker in my garage a couple of weeks ago. What a coincidence, eh?
Wondering if anyone out there has a link to the teachers’demands? I keep hearing this and that and would really like to see the facts straight from the source. Is there an online list of what the BCTF demands are? Much appreciated thanks
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