Teachers Rep Remains Optimistic Despite Court Challenge
Prince George, B.C. – What effect if any will the BC Government's appeal of a BC Supreme Court ruling earlier this year (scheduled to be heard in October) have on current contract talks between the government and the BCTF?
(The court ruled in January the government's second law (Bill 22) on classroom composition was unconstitutional because it included restrictions on bargaining class size and composition).
None according to Prince George & District Teachers' Association vice-president Richard Giroday.
"I think you've got two different situations here. On the one hand you've got a court case which is going to run it's course and on the other hand you've got bargaining that's taking place and you could tie those two together I suppose, but I'm going to be positive."
He says with both sides sitting at the table this week "you have to go on the positive that they'll get a deal done by September 1st."
But Giroday admits he's only cautiously optimistic.
"Would I hold my breath (a deal will be struck this month)? I'm not sure but we have to wait and see what comes out of it."
Further he says it's his understanding the government has come to the table without any "conditions" during this round of talks.
Meanwhile a decision on the case by the BC Court of Appeal could take weeks if not months. And if the appeal does not go Victoria's way they could then take their case to the Supreme Court of Canada which could drag into 2015.
Comments
Even though the ruling is a ways away both sides surely must have a feeling on where the chips will fall. The way the BCTF has dug their heels in on class size they may feel that the decision might not go their way in this round and are trying to squeeze as much as they can before the court decision comes down.
They can afford lawyers and have money to pay parents..hmmm something definitely not right here. Trying to make a statement will only blow up in their faces.. Thought there was a law about bullying
You’re right, smokin’. The BCTF shouldn’t be able to bully the government and parents by using kids as hostages and pawns.
You always looked at things a little backwards haven’t you JB. So the teachers lost in court twice right JB? Oh wait a sec the government lost in court twice and they are wasting money again appealing again, money that could be spent on education.
They ripped up the contract JB! So who is the bully?
I wonder where they will blow the money they are saving on teachers wages this time?
Yeah, they cancelled the unsustainable sweetheart deal they signed under the previous NDP government that would have cost taxpayers billions. That decision is currently under appeal and I hope the government wins.
Now the teachers are asking for wages and benefits that will also cost billions. You seriously think raising the taxes on cigarette and booze is going to make up that shortfall? Give your head a shake.
NoWay: “I wonder where they will blow the money they are saving on teachers wages this time? “
Good question. In the past, that money has been used in teacher wage and benefit settlements. This time, they’re planning to give it back to parents for education services not received.
Other public sector unions can make deals with the government, but the BCTF cannot. You ever wonder why that is?
Even some teachers are starting to speak out about the BCTF’s crummy leadership.
Please share whatever you’re on with the Government. They need more of a narrow mind like yours JB.
JB, thanks for bringing up that unsustainable sweetheart deal that the Glen Clark Government “gifted” to the BCTF, gifted without any input from the BCPSEA and the Province’s various School Boards.
In spite of the fact that the BCPSEA and the vast majority of the Province’s School Boards denounced this sweetheart deal decrying it as unaffordable, the NDP rammed it through!!
Even Ujjal Dosanjh, after replacing Glen Clark as the new NDP Premier called it unaffordable!!
The BCTF laughted all the way to the bank!!
Thankfully the Gordon Campbell Government dealt with this matter after they were elected. Upon expiration of the “sweetheart” deal, the new Liberal Government brought in a new contract, a legislated one of course! After all, the BCTF seems to have a great deal of difficulty reaching a negotiated agreement with ANY government!
The Liberals didn’t “rip” up an existing contract. They brought in a new contract, a legislated one, that replaced one that had expired!
Everybody wants to ignore the NDP imposed “sweetheart deal” contract. Nobody wants to acknowledge that it was clearly unaffordable. Nobody at least from the left side of the political spectrum!!
HartGuy – So what makes you think their sweetheart deal benefited the teachers personally. I think this sweetheart deal was to benefit the students – more teachers; more support; more time could be spent with each individual student.
Wages are not the issue in this strike -I don’t like to see my tax dollars spent stupidly in the courts again.
You need to read what the judge stated in the court appeal and you will see the government will lose for the third time. The government is trying to negotiate this court case out with the next teachers’ contract and that is the hold up.
Seems to me Gordon Campbell tore up allot of contracts and the Liberals still believe they are above the law.
“The Liberals didn’t “rip” up an existing contract. They brought in a new contract, a legislated one, that replaced one that had expired!”
Illegally…… Twice. Shall we go for three?
Sin tax, 10% PST, what ever it takes JB!
So the HST was bad but doubling PST to cover teachers massages and fertility drugs is good? No wonder the lefties couldnt run an ice cream stand.
oldman1, I know that you support the NDP and the teachers, but perhaps before asking me why I think the sweetheart deal benefited the teachers personally, perhaps you should review the negotiating process that took place in 1998 leading to the 1999 thru 2002 contract.
Perhaps you should ask Ujjal Dosanjh why he felt the contract was unaffordable? Yes, that Ujjal Dosanjh, the NDP Premier of BC.
Perhaps you should ask I believe it was 56 of 60 school boards across the province why they felt the contract was unaffordable?
Perhaps you should contact Carole James why, as a member of the Greater Victoria School Board, she felt the contract was unaffordable? Yes, that Carole James, the lady who went on to become the leader of the NDP!
Perhaps you should ask why members of the Legislature referred to the contract terms as a new form of NDP math, when 0-0-2 equals 11%?
All of this during a period of time when the NDP Government was operating under a period of “restraint”! While most other Government Unions were settling for 0-0-2, the BCTF were enticed into reaching a contract settlement that certainly gave them far more than 0-0-2.
Hmmmm, while other Public Sector Unions are settling contracts with our current Government, once again the BCTF expects, demands and whines for more!
I can admit that the Liberals have screwed up on occasion, can screw up on occasion and will undoubtedly screw up again at some point in the future, you seem unwilling to accept that the NDP can screw up and the BCTF can just plain screw us!!
NoWay- when a contract expires you keep working under the old contract until a new contract is negotiated, so by legislating a new contract you have taken away the rights of workers to negotiate a new contract. So by doing this it is the same as tearing up the old contract.
This Lib-Con Provincial government shouldn’t be such sore losers, drop the court appeal, acknowledge and accept both court decisions in favour of the BCTF, apologize, put on your big boy pants and start fair collective bargaining with the teachers!
@ BeingHuman,
Such big words from a young college student living in your Mommy’s basement, right? Isn’t that what you told us about you??
Out here in the real world, us working folks earn a living and out of that living we get to pay Taxes!! Many of us are sick and tired of the constant demands of the BCTF and we are just as sick of whiners like you!!
It’s about time that the Government of the day stand up to the BCTF and show them who the Employer is and who the Employees are!!
I hope that our Government takes every legal avenue available to them in their LEGAL appeal process against the BCTF!
You Peeps, well you can just bend over and let the BCTF stick it to you!
I’m wondering why the NDP supporters and the teacher supporters think that the 2008 contract negotiations that resulted in the 2009 Sweetheart Deal were acceptable.
3 Deputy Ministers of the NDP Government worked out the deal with the BCTF! Why do you think this was acceptable?
No representatives of the BCSPCEA were involved in the negotiations! Why do you consider this to be acceptable?
No representatives of the Province’s School Boards were involved in the negotiations! Why do you think that this was acceptable?
In a time of restraint when all other Public Sector Unions were settling for contracts that fell within the NDP’s 0-0-2 mandate, the BCTF received more, far more! Why do you think that this was acceptable?
After the sweetheart deal was reached, the next incoming NDP Premier Ujjal Dosanjh reviewed it and clearly felt that it was unaffordable! Why do you think that Ujaal Dosanjh felt this way?
Carol James, a Greater Victoria School Board member who later became the NDP leader, also considered the “deal” unaffordable! Why do you think that she felt it was unaffordable and why do you think it was acceptable that she and other school board executives were not involved in the contract negotiations?
So far, not a one of you have given acceptable reasons “why”??
Why shouldn’t I be surprised??
Oops, I meant the 1998 negotiations, not 2008 negotiations, that resulted in the 1999 Sweetheart Deal, not 2009 Sweetheart Deal!!
Guess I had a brain fart. Now I know how Peeps feels!! ;-)
http://tinyurl.com/m6eoljx
Hart Guy, better jack up your prices because guess what? You taxes are going up no if’s and or buts. We can be sick and tired all we like but in the end we will pay more.
Maybe a VAT of 20% would do it!
NoWay, the funny thing is, if I jack up my prices, the first people to complain most often seem to be the customers who also happen to be teachers!
Generally speaking, non-unionized people pay my rates, understanding that I too need to make a living.
The unionized sector of the economy tends to try to get me to reduce my rates. It’s like this sector thinks that everything should be free, or almost free. Perhaps having a largely free benefits and pension plan leads one to believe that all things in life should be free or almost free.
So, I charge what I need to charge in order to make a living and if someone doesn’t like what I charge, they are free to shop around!!
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