School Support Staff Head To Bargaining Table
Prince George, BC – With school set to start in some parts of the province today and in School District 57 tomorrow, a smooth resumption of classes depends heavily on contract negotiations about to get underway later this morning…
After announcing talks had broken down with the government back on August 13th, the union representing school support workers, CUPE-BC, agreed to return to the bargaining table today after word the government would offer up something new.
"The last thing CUPE wants is job action or a disruption of classes, we stand behind students and the education system," says CUPE Local 3742 President, Karen Wong. The local, along with local 4991, represents over 800 clercial and custodial staff, and educational assistants throughout District 57. "We really do want a negotiated settlement, but the clock is ticking – we’ve wanted a negotiated settlement for over a year."
The support workers’ contract expired in June of 2012. Wong points out there hasn’t been an increase or wage adjustment since 2009. "The average income of our K-to-12 workers is only about $24-thousand dollars per year, so we’re asking for a two-percent funded increase."
"If you do the math, two-percent on $24-thousand isn’t a lot," she says, "Many of our members have to hold down at least one additional part-time job, so it’s a struggle."
CUPE-BC has said it remains on strike alert, while it meets with government negotiators today. Wong says it’s unfortunate the threat of job action is looming over the start of the school year, but says the union has been intensely bargaining for one year. Although the government has set aside three days of talks, she says, "When we walk in (today), we’ll know if this is going to be a fair and reasonable bargaining process."
Comments
Just looked ar CUPE wages in PG. They look pretty good compared to the private sector.When you chose a profession that only works 3/4 of a year you will make 3/4s of what a person makes that works a full year. If you are a T/A that works 20 hours a week for 3/4s of a year you will only make around $20,000 a year,like my neighbour does.
It is a career choice to work 180 days a year vs 240.
Everyone should receive a wage increase of 2% annually just to maintain their standard of living. Period.
BC Ferries executives’ ridiculous salaries and bonuses could easily cover a small COLA increase for these employees.
Hmm… the last pay increase our Liberal government politicians gave themselves was what? … oh yeah a 30% pay increase to what end? … oh yeah to “attract the best”.
I think a 2% pay increase for school support staff is more than reasonable in comparison to what our politicians gave themselves!
To work without a current agreement in place should be unlawful.
Just imagine applying for a job, getting a verbal offer of employment and being told that if you accept you will have to negotiate your offer while you work.
The whole thing is done under duress. You need the job and the employer is taking advantage of that.
They gambled on an NDP government and lost. I wonder how much the union spent on the last election, or how many hours these poor down trodden souls “volunteered” for the slate or rank amateur candidates.
Once they saw who they would be up against at the bargaining table, they simply punted this negotiation until the fall, when they would have some leverage.
They should be legislated back to work, since their window to exercise their right to protest without harming children has expired.
Karen Wong states the median salary for their workers is $24,000 per year, which is well below a poverty line wage.
Those who think this is a good working wage should give their heads a shake!
“Poverty in BC â Still the Highest in Canada
The overall poverty rate in BC remains the worst in Canada. While the poverty rate dropped from 10.5% in 2010 to 11.3% in 2011, BC holds its place at the bottom and remains one of only two provinces without a provincial poverty plan.
BC child poverty rates rose in 2011 to 93,000 â an increase of 7,000 children â which makes BC now tied with Manitoba for the worst child poverty rate in the country. BC held this shameful title for almost 8 consecutive years until last year, when it rose to 2nd last.”
http://www.cwp-csp.ca/2013/07/update-poverty-numbers-released/
Might want to look at the FACTS before you post your opinions!
Way back in 2009, the low income cut-offs (LICOs) – also known as the poverty line for after tac incomes was $27,918 per year in Canada.
Compare that to the $24,000 median salary Karen Wong states her members make per year! Oh and by the way… these salary amounts would really “stick it to” all those single moms and dads out there!
We really need to take care of these people. They get more face time with my children than I do. Education system needs to become a priority for the people and the government.
The median salary should be based on a full time equivalent basis. Many of the TA’s etc work those hours so they can be at home with the kids after school and over the summer, family receives a second income without additional childcare expenses.
If a position is only part time and does not pay enough then there is nothing stopping that person from applying for a full time position with the school or elsewhere.
“BC Ferries executives’ ridiculous salaries and bonuses could easily cover a small COLA increase for these employees.”
Do not take this as a defense of BC Ferries because it is not, this is solely intended for perspective…
If you take the two big bonuses that the news is flashing about plus the $300 bonus each ferry worker also received and you come up with 1.16 million. Divided across the 26,000 Cupe members that would make about $44 per year or $3.71 per month difference. So you are right, it would be small ;)
ewitt states; “If a position is only part time and does not pay enough then there is nothing stopping that person from applying for a full time position with the school or elsewhere.”
How nice of you to assume there is nothing stopping them. How about the cost of childcare for single moms and dads?
With a health care system pushing seniors to live at home longer with home care, what about all these people with aging parents that need looking after?
Nothing stopping them??? Wow, I wish the world was as simple as you seem to look at it. The complex and varying situations everyone has to live with seems beyond your cookie cutter view of other peoples lives! I can’t help you with that ewitt.
Nothing stopping them? … wow…
Working part-time is the new normal here in Prince George, BC and Canada.
Why would businesses what to hire full-time and pay for all those expensive benefits? Take a chapter from Jimmy Patterson and hire only part-time employees, that way he can avoid paying all those expensive benefit packages!!!
We have a business minded, and run, government so what else should we expect? That the number of full-time jobs would be increasing rather than part-time jobs?
Good luck with that!
The unions are as much to blame as Jimmy for the trend to part time cashiers in grocery stores with the ever increasing demands.
When it first started happening there was a story in the paper about how much a cashier with a few years service made and it was way too much for what they do. Must take many seconds of training to learn how to drag the bar code on a frozen bag of peas over a scanner. Lots of places let you scan your own stuff now.
People#1 never gets it right, 27,918 was indeed the LICOs but for a family of 3 – and then goes on to talk about single moms and dads. Well LICOs for single moms and dads were 22,420. If you make 24,000 annually you do not pay anything in income taxes as a single mom or dad
The union rep is quoted as saying: “The average income of our K-to-12 workers is only about $24-thousand dollars per year, so we’re asking for a two-percent funded increase.”
That is what is known as political “spin” intended to tug at the heartstring of the masses.
What is missing for it not to be spin is for her to have included the average number of working hours a year. I am sure it is not 1,900 hrs or so, but likely half of that.
Something many people have already noted.
I am starting to wonder whether this is a media release put out by CUPE, or whether this is some reporter’s reporting who should have had a follow up question to that statement to get the average hours worked.
A 2008 report put out by CUPE states
The primary situation giving rise to unpaid work is the bell-to-bell organization of EA work that sees an average of 26 hours of remunerated work per week and offers no real opportunity for EAs to plan, prepare, meet or collaborate within their paid work schedule.
⢠The primary reasons cited by EAs for performing unpaid work centre around professional concerns for the well being, needs and safety of their students, and the lack of adequate time to meet these needs to a high professional standard. ⢠The average amount of unpaid time performed each week amounted to 1.9 hours.
So, 26 hours of paid work per week while school is in session = $24,000/year. By the time one looks at the 2 months off during the summer plus 4 weeks or so for Xmas and Easter, it appears the average remuneration projected on an annual basis is in the $50,000 range.
Quite reasonable for someone who does not have the credentials to be a full time teacher.
In fact, is it the teachers who might actually be supporting this relationship?
While Unions most definitely served a purpose many years ago, they now seem largely ineffectual. I can honestly say that I am not at all impressed by the vast majority of Union Leaders in our province. Irene Lanzinger, Jim Iker, Debra McPherson, Jim Sinclair, really??? Is that the best the union movement can do?
Much of the union elite seems to be just as bad as our politicians, living off of the avails of the membership and providing very little in return. I’m curious how much these members pay each month in union dues. Are they really getting value for this? Maybe they would be better off pocketing their union dues by getting rid of their union? Maybe, maybe not!
Poor slinky, never gets it right, while the LICO for a two person family is $22,420 per year BACK IN 2009, four long years ago, what would the poverty line (LICO) be this year (2013)?
Yeah, that’s right it would be at least $24,000 per year given inflation / cost of living increases over that 4 year period.
It is disturbing to see all these comments from people who obviously are making more than $24,000 per year. No one seem to want to take on the fact that in 2013 $24,000 is the poverty line in Canada!
A simple review of the comments on this subject show us all why BC has the embarrassing distinction of having the highest child poverty rate in Canada 8 year in a row, and now (2013) tied with Manitoba for the worst child poverty
rate in Canada.
Thank you to the people who have commented on this subject for showing me why BC has the highest child poverty rate in Canada. Yea.. lets go BC Liberal Party… keep up the good work in this area, I am so proud it brings a tear to my eye…
Come down hard on anyone that wants an annual salary more than the national LICO poverty line of about $24,000 (2013 LICO)… nice… lets keep the poor poor and the rich rich!
Thank you for opening my eyes on this subject!
Before anyone thinks I am being facetious in my comment above, the thank you part is genuine!
Thank you to Gus, Slinky, Ewitt, alexvega and cougs78, your comments helps me see why BC consistently has the highest child poverty rate in Canada! This is what I like about this comment board, I can learn so much from others comments. Again thank you :)
“Thank you to Gus, Slinky, Ewitt, alexvega and cougs78, your comments helps me see why BC consistently has the highest child poverty rate in Canada!”
To me, their comments show how CUPE can spin the numbers with the best of them. Sorry, People#1, your slip is showing.
People #1 You make it sound like I am picking on somebody who makes $23.00/hr. Figure it out, Karen Wong is wong!
People#1:
Since we are giving thanks to people who others think do not understand what to them is some simple stuff …….
Here is all I want you to understand People#1.
1. Now that we know that the average pay is for 26 hours of a normal full time work week of some 37.5 hours, we know that the average full time pay rate of CUPE in the education industry in BC is roughly $35,000/year. While it may not be much to some people, it is roughly 30% more than the poverty line.
2. There is absolutely nothing that we know about the characteristics of the people at that job level. They could be anyone who is young, single, and going to university part time who is living at their parent’s house, borrowing the family car, to someone who has a second part time job to someone who is married with a child that has started to go to school and a spouse making the same amount of money or 2 or 3 or even 4 times as much.
Each case is unique and for anyone to assume there is an average wage with an average number of work hours attached to an average family setting has to really look at themselves and make sure that they are giving this the full capacity of their cognitive abilities they ought to have.
The whole notion of poverty and who is poor and who is not really needs to be understood a bit better by some on this board. Lifestyles are multidimensional with a vast number of scenarios.
Well said Gus!
“Are they really getting value for this? Maybe they would be better off pocketing their union dues by getting rid of their union? Maybe, maybe not!” Really Hart Guy?
23 states in the US now have “right to work” legislation with Ontario’s Conservative Tim Hudak eagerly waiting in the wings to make that happen for that Province. No doubt the BC Liberals are looking at it as well.
Our Federal Conservatives offered 15% less wages for foreign workers as a subsidy for employers instead of allowing the market to decide. The Alberta Conservatives just last week offered a foreign worker for less package in that Province as well.
and our Federal Conservative Government added 2 years till 67 in order for eligibility for CPP.
Looks to me like there is a war against the common working man and abolishing Unions no matter if you work within one or not would be foolish at this point in the war.
cougs: “Well said Gus!”
Ditto.
Again thanks you for confirming why BC will continue to have the highest child poverty rate in the country :)
I see a couple of glaring error in Gus’s projected full-time earning for TAs and EAs, but he posts comments so often, it would really be “full-time job” for me to refute the facts in some of his comments.
Hint: teacher work 10 months out of the year as well yet they can chose to be paid according to a 10 month pay plan, or be paid the same amount of salary over a 12 month period. So much for your projected earning for EAs or TAs, your methodology is flawed!
Many of those workers started their jobs with a regular workweek (35 – 40) hours a week. But as the years go on, their hours are cut. I don’t think they choose to work part time, give them all 40hours a week and they’ll jump for joy. im told they work that now, just don’t get paid for it.
Come on people, why torture the little guy, give them a wage they can live on. Time to go after the big corportations, tax breaks, government getting bonuses and raises, buyouts and retirement incentives, and provincial cabinets always getting increases. you guys are criticizing the wrong people here.
So any predictions on how long BC will continue to have the highest child poverty rates in Canada? I am use to living places where we are distinguish for being number one, highest crime rates in Canada, etc. etc. etc.
Hmm… highest child poverty rate… highest crime rates… hmm… don’t anyone dare point out that poverty and crime are inexorably linked.
So carry on, lets legislate those school support workers back to work a near poverty line salaries. Ignore the fact that unless they do find another part-time job they will live at poverty line levels.
How about making those part-time positions full-time, oh but that’s right, we are back to the Jimmy and the store clerk situation keep the part-time, don’t need to pay benefit to them then.
Like a meat cutter I once knew, paid up for a meat cutter course, passed it and landed a job at a local grocery store part-time of course, asked if he could get a part-time job as a meat cutter at another grocery store and was told “not allowed” competitive pricing you see. So he had a choice, stay in that profession and work part-time, or get the H*LL out… and that’s what he did! Talk about a catch 22 situation. But who here would know about that?
Highest child poverty, blah blah, child poverty, blah blah. The mating call of the uniontard.
Here are a couple of links to child poverty in the UK and Canada. These stories are told through the eyes and mouths of those children. Absolutely no mention of unions in any of them.
Poverty is poverty… this is about the kids, kind of perverse and disgusting to try and make this about unions :(
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011vnls
http://www.ottawainuitchildrens.com/2013/01/child-poverty-tvo-documentary/
Hint: no matter which way people get paid, the total annual earnings are the same. So much for your argument.
people#1 posted: “kind of perverse and disgusting to try and make this about unions”
People#1 on September 3 2013 9:33 AM … your post, people#1 ….
“BC child poverty rates rose in 2011 to 93,000 â an increase of 7,000 children â which makes BC now tied with Manitoba for the worst child poverty rate in the country. BC held this shameful title for almost 8 consecutive years until last year, when it rose to 2nd last.”
Hope I do not upset you too much if I point out you are the ones who started with that quote from the listed post……..
Now you are doing an about face????
Why??????
People#1 posted: “Hmm… highest child poverty rate… highest crime rates… hmm… don’t anyone dare point out that poverty and crime are inexorably linked.”
A common misconception, or at least a hypothesis which has many people arguing both sides.
Let me just present this interestingly simple argument on the side which believes poverty and crime are not directly linked:
“while the quality of life has risen dramatically for all in western societies, so has the crime rate”
Seeing a parallel situation with that is the following statement: “people with more disposable income will be able to spend that money on illegal activities like drugs, gambling, prostitution, etc.”
Perhaps an additional hypothesis should be that the crime rate also rises with an increase in publically marketing goods and services for those who can afford it while many who cannot afford it are looking on and do not have the means to access those goods and services. They then turn to criminal goods and services which are supported by the wealthy.
I can well imagine it could lead a person to drink ……. as it has during periods of economic depression.
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