Premier Calls for Teachers to Suspend Strike
Prince George, B.C.- Premier Christy Clark has waded into the Teacher’s dispute. In a news conference this hour, she called on the BCTF to suspend the strike and head back to the bargaining table to negotiate a new contract.
The Premier says Teachers are still demanding twice as much as other public service unions “It’s just not right to demand a $5000 dollar signing bonus that no one else in the public sector has received.”
She has called on the union to “bargain, to bargain seriously.”
“Teachers do, deserve a raise” says Premier Clark “ but to be fair, it has to be one that reflects what we have already settled with the other half of the public sector.”
She says ultimately what we all want is “To have the kids back in the classroom and getting the education they deserve to compete in the workplace.”
The Premier says there is no magic wand “There is no one who can come up and say, guess what I’ve come up with a way to get this resolved.” She says it can only be resolved at the bargaining table.
She urges the BCTF to suspend the strike and get the students back in the classroom and let negotiations continue. She says the BCTF contract proposal needs to be realistic, and once the money issue is resolved negotiators can get to the real issues of class composition and class size.
She called on both sides to step away from the emotional elements of the situation and get down to bargaining.
Comments
Nothing new here … time to lobby for binding arbitration as it is the only way to get both sides to put their bottom line on the table and get a ‘legal’ agreement.
Of couse they want the teachers to suspend the strike and go back to work ..
The other morning on the news Education Minister Peter Fassbender was visibly twisted because the teacher’s didn’t accept his offer for them to go back to work for two weeks and then go back out on the picket lines if they felt the need…By turning him down the teachers union blew his next grandstand event where he would say something to the effect…look at those teachers who claim to care about students but they (the teachers) don’t care about students they went back to work and are now only two weeks into the school year back on the picket line..
I wonder why when Education Minister Peter Fassbender walked out of negotiations he had that big smile on his face? could it be he was happy his negotiator had not given into the teachers demands and the strike was going to continue .
I am wondering why these so called professionals think they deserve more than any other civil servant? Why do they need $5000 just to go back? Why do they need UNLIMITED massage? Why weren’t they on the picket line until 3 days before school was to start? They have bellied up to the trough, time for a cull. There are lots of un & under employed teachers that would cherish the idea of working.
Some thoughts on her press conference.
1. Massage is already off the table. She should have known that and if she didn’t it says volumes about how much she cares.
2. The 150,000 others she mentioned over and over and over, many had 3.5 over 2 right before this. Teachers are on the 4th zero. Add that to your 5.5 over 5 and you probably have a deal.
3. Suspending the strike and teaching while negotiating is her answer. How did that work for the past 18 months?
4. The $375 million she claims to be offering for composition is not new money. It would make no new changes to class size and composition. This is the same $75 million per year for the past few they have called the LIF find.
5. She mentioned increasing “educators” over and over. If she wanted to add cupe members why didn’t she give that to them in THEIR contract.
No mention of the court case and she has her kid in a private school.
Teacher, worst possible name for you.
Why shouldn’t they get more?
Different negotiation with different people. I know i sure don’t try to get the same contract as other unions with my employer, we go for better.
And why picket in the summer?
The school isn’t open. There are no kids there. Its their normal unpaid time. And in fact, them not picketing in the summer let all the CUPE employees do their jobs in the school that they normally so in the summer.
Those un & under employed teachers have other options, same as any other un or under employed person!
http://vernonta.com/images/salarygraph.jpg
teacher haters..give that a look.. shows how huge of raises the teachers have had averging less than %1 a raise in the last 16 years… way behind other public sector employess..and stupidly wayyy behind clarks croonies.
Also JB.. the government offered them $1200.. the teachers countered with %5000… its called negotiating.. guess you cant grasp it.. so lets say they split it..Comes to $3100, the government gets about %60 ( my bonuses get hit at that rate ) of it so the teachers will see approx $1275… once you see how far behind they are in getting a raise to even keep up to inflation is not much.
Clark broke the law when she was education minister.. she keeps appealing the decisions against her government spending our tax dollars on lawyers fight this losing battle.. took 900 million out of ICBC coffers..where did that go ?? Wants to raise ICBC rates to cover what she took.. lovely.. Increasing Hydro costs to us.. even though running water through a turbine does not go up in price.. but hydro sure is.. whats happening with that money….??
Lots going in and no idea what they are doing with it.. certainly isnt going to Families first…
She dodged the pending court case question on numerous occasions.
The BCTF has had 50 strikes in their history and one negotiated settlement. Not exactly a record to be proud of.
Our government has had 50 strikes in their history of teacher negotiations and one negotiated settlement. Not exactly a record to be proud of.
Link or source please Johnnybelt, or is everything you say a lie?
Prior to this last strike there was 14 lost days in the past 20 years. I can find you a link for that if you need.
Smooth, you mentioned a few days ago, that both you and your wife are teachers. Wow, you must really be suffering! How much did you suffer during the economic downturn and recession in 2008? How much did you suffer during that period, when many others lost their jobs, lost their homes, lost their businesses, depleted their savings and emptied their retirement funds??
Now we have teachers worried about paying their bills, worried about making their mortgage payments and worried about their savings! Smooth, sorry if I don’t shed a tear for our teachers, but welcome to the world that most face on a daily basis!!
During the economic downturn I did what many others did. Moved to where the jobs are. Every person I know in Fort St. John not working in the public sector is making a heck of a lot more than they were in 2008. Many of the students I teach graduate and are making more money than I am right out of high school.
Moving away from home to find a job is certainly as much a sacrifice as eating into your savings.
Smooth: “Link or source please Johnnybelt, or is everything you say a lie?”
Here you go, Smooth…
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-s-teachers-feud-dates-back-decades-1.2752410
“More than 50 strikes and three lockouts since 1987, only one contract signed without dispute in 30 years”
“The greatest place on earth” in the richest country. Yet we can’t afford to educate the next generation. These clowns couldn’t run a lemonade stand. Or perhaps this shows how flawed our system is.
And how many raises has Christy had since she took office and what was the percentage.
Smooth, largest problem is the story from Iker changes at every press conference. One day its less than a percent apart, next day wage issue is settled, next day they want 7.5 and government is at 5.5….which is it?
P Val, signing bonuses are incentives to sign a contract. Now that they are on strike the incentive period is over
Smooth, many of the students that you teach graduate and are making more money than you are right out of high school?? Many? Ok, so let’s assume that it’s many.
Now tell me, how many make more than you on their regular salary and how many make more than you buy virtue of the fact that they work 7 days a week, with lots and lots and lots of overtime?
How many make more than you by virtue of the fact that they live in camp, away from their families for extended periods of time?
How many make more than you by virtue of the fact that while you are working in your clean, comfortable warm school, they are out in the middle of nowhere, in freezing winter weather or cold rainy weather up to their butts in mud, snow or ice?
How many make more than you by virtue of the fact that they work in hazardous, life threatening conditions?
How many make more than you by virtue of the fact that their job might very well be a here today, gone tomorrow kind of job, where they can actually be laid off, or even fired!
How many make more than you by virtue of the fact that they don’t enjoy a benefits or pension plan that compares to yours?
I could go on and on and on, but perhaps the best question would be if things are so good out there, why on earth are you and your wife suffering away as teachers??
Hart Guy and Johnny, WELL SAID!
To answer succinctly as opposed to death by a 1000 questions, I chose the career I wanted. Now I would like a wage that matches inflation. 16% over the past 16 years is not doing that, and neither is the 5.5% over 5 being proposed.
Seeing you know so much about me, please tell me which business(es) you own.
Grizzly2,
Can you find me a source or link for JohnnyBelt’s statement?
@Smooth: I tried posting a link but for some reason it’s not showing up, or it’s being moderated. Go the the CBC’s website and search on “BC’s Teacher’s Feud Dates Back Decades”.
———
Editor’s note:
I don’t know why your link isn’t showing, but can assure it isn’t because it has been moderated.
Elaine Meisner
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-s-teachers-feud-dates-back-decades-1.2752410
Found it. You “christy’d” the quote and misled us all.
You said only 1 negotiated contract. That article said only 1 contract signed without some sort of dispute bringing it to an end. Those were mostly negotiated following the job action. That is not the same thing.
Smooth, you whine about your wage not matching inflation??
How much did your wage drop during the recession?
You whine about your wage not matching inflation?
Have you factored in the signing bonus that you received a few years ago?
Have you factored in the never-ending increases in your pension and benefit plans?
I am sure that you and your wife, both teachers, have a very good standard of living!!
….and yet you whine about your wages not keeping up with inflation? but hey, it’s all about the kids, right??
Hart Guy, you missed the fact that those who Smooth quotes as having it better than him probably never asked for fertility drugs and massages when negotiating a contract. These luxuries cost money if multiplied by a potential 40,000 users. Perhaps the bottom line of wage increases would get a higher priority by those who have to come up with the funding if the inane demands would be taken off the table? It sounds so incredible that those who claim to be hard done by financially are demanding such frills!
“Found it. You “christy’d” the quote and misled us all.
You said only 1 negotiated contract. That article said only 1 contract signed without some sort of dispute bringing it to an end. Those were mostly negotiated following the job action. That is not the same thing.”
Split hairs if you want, it still speaks to the BCTF’s consistent inability to work with any government, no matter who is in power. And what about the 50 strikes?
The 50 strikes is misleading because each school district used to negotiate separately. Some would strike, some would not. I am only guessing but 10 of those strikes could have come in one year. Most did not result in any loss of school days.
Hartguy, you seem angry. Which business(es) do you own?
Posted on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 @ 3:55 PM by Smooth
“To answer succinctly as opposed to death by a 1000 questions, I chose the career I wanted. Now I would like a wage that matches inflation.”
OK teach, lets have a look, we can go back 8 years on the salary grid for school district 57.
In April 1, 2006 a cat5 step0 made 40,776. A cat5 step5 made 52,471. A cat5 step10 made 64,165.
In July 1, 2010 – 4 years later – a cat5 step0 made 45,909. A cat5 step5 made 59,076. A cat5 step10 made 74,353. Remote schools made slightly more.
Not sure if you want me to do the math but a tad more than 10 percent increase in only 4 short years.
You can do your own math if you are not in this school district
http://www.bcpsea.bc.ca/bc-teachers/collective-agreements/teacher-salary-grids.aspx
If you’re trying to make the BCTF look good despite the facts, you’re failing Smooth. You’ve been to one too many union rallies I would guess.
Sure glad we voted in the Liberals. NDP would have cost us a fortune.
1998 zero zero 2 percent legislated
2002 7.5 percent over 3 years legislated
2005 three zeros legislated
2006 16 percent over 5 years plus 4,000.00 signing bonus because they signed before the deadline
2012 zero percent but extended leave added
So since 1998 2+7.5+16 equals 25.5 percent over 16 years Smooth
Negotiations summarized here:
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Timeline+long+troubled+bargaining+history+teachers+provincial+government/9864912/story.html
Posted on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 @ 7:22 PM by slinky
Not sure if you want me to do the math but a tad more than 10 percent increase in only 4 short years.
You can do your own math if you are not in this school district
http://www.bcpsea.bc.ca/bc-teachers/collective-agreements/teacher-salary-grids.aspx
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How about giving everyone all of the information Christy, ummm, I mean Slinky. 16% over the past 16 years is exactly what we have been given today. I can tell you are using government data because they have compounded all of the numbers to make it look like more. One example, that 2006 contract was 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2 for a total of 12% over 5 years. They like to compound it to 16. If they want to work that way and use compounding to their advantage then the bctf should be given the capital gains 3.5 over 2 the other public sector unions got that the BCTF didn’t and add it straight onto the front end of their current offer.
Johnnybelt, facts are facts. You can sling mud and say all you want that they have never gotten along. How about you try some numbers? At least Slinky is making me work a little.
Anyone know which business(es) Hartguy owns?
Because I have a good guess what the response to my last post will be.
The reason you don’t compound it is because the inflation rate is never published as a compounded number. So you shouldn’t compound your raises over time when using it as a comparison.
http://www.inflation.eu/inflation-rates/canada/historic-inflation/cpi-inflation-canada.aspx
Inflation over the last year 16 years is 30.9%. That is not compounded. Teachers have had 16% over 16 years, also not compounded.
My apologies for not using BC rates, I could only find Canadian inflation rates.
Slinky ..how does that compare to her giving her aids people %7.6 a year ?
PVal it just goes to show that even teachers have some forms of misinformation
Posted on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 @ 3:55 PM by Smooth “Now I would like a wage that matches inflation. 16% over the past 16 years is not doing that”
Posted on Thursday, September 4, 2014 @ 12:06 AM by slinky
PVal it just goes to show that even teachers have some forms of misinformation
Posted on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 @ 3:55 PM by Smooth “Now I would like a wage that matches inflation. 16% over the past 16 years is not doing that”
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Slinky, you must have not read my 2 most recent posts. I will put them here so you can see them again. These are the facts. The reason you don’t see it that way is because you are using manipulative numbers. You are compounding teachers salaries, while inflation rates are never compounded. I challenge you Slinky to find the manipulation or any factual error in the numbers below.
How about giving everyone all of the information Christy, ummm, I mean Slinky. 16% over the past 16 years is exactly what we have been given today. I can tell you are using government data because they have compounded all of the numbers to make it look like more. One example, that 2006 contract was 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2 for a total of 12% over 5 years. They like to compound it to 16. If they want to work that way and use compounding to their advantage then the bctf should be given the capital gains 3.5 over 2 the other public sector unions got that the BCTF didn’t and add it straight onto the front end of their current offer.
Johnnybelt, facts are facts. You can sling mud and say all you want that they have never gotten along. How about you try some numbers? At least Slinky is making me work a little.
Anyone know which business(es) Hartguy owns?
Because I have a good guess what the response to my last post will be.
The reason you don’t compound it is because the inflation rate is never published as a compounded number. So you shouldn’t compound your raises over time when using it as a comparison.
http://www.inflation.eu/inflation-rates/canada/historic-inflation/cpi-inflation-canada.aspx
Inflation over the last year 16 years is 30.9%. That is not compounded. Teachers have had 16% over 16 years, also not compounded.
My apologies for not using BC rates, I could only find Canadian inflation rates.
This is odd, my last 3 posts show up to me, but when I check through my phone they are not on the mobile or the full site version.
Posted on Thursday, September 4, 2014 @ 12:06 AM by slinky
PVal it just goes to show that even teachers have some forms of misinformation
Posted on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 @ 3:55 PM by Smooth “Now I would like a wage that matches inflation. 16% over the past 16 years is not doing that”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Slinky, you must have not read my 2 most recent posts. I will put them here so you can see them again. These are the facts. The reason you don’t see it that way is because you are using manipulative numbers. You are compounding teachers salaries, while inflation rates are never compounded. I challenge you Slinky to find the manipulation or any factual error in the numbers below.
How about giving everyone all of the information Christy, ummm, I mean Slinky. 16% over the past 16 years is exactly what we have been given today. I can tell you are using government data because they have compounded all of the numbers to make it look like more. One example, that 2006 contract was 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2 for a total of 12% over 5 years. They like to compound it to 16. If they want to work that way and use compounding to their advantage then the bctf should be given the capital gains 3.5 over 2 the other public sector unions got that the BCTF didn’t and add it straight onto the front end of their current offer.
Johnnybelt, facts are facts. You can sling mud and say all you want that they have never gotten along. How about you try some numbers? At least Slinky is making me work a little.
Anyone know which business(es) Hartguy owns?
Because I have a good guess what the response to my last post will be.
The reason you don’t compound it is because the inflation rate is never published as a compounded number. So you shouldn’t compound your raises over time when using it as a comparison.
Inflation over the last year 16 years is 30.9%. That is not compounded. Teachers have had 16% over 16 years, also not compounded.
My apologies for not using BC rates, I could only find Canadian inflation rates.
I figured out the problem. Anything with a link will not show up on mobile devices. It does not show up on my iphone in mobile or full web.
I also put a line between two arrow style parentheses (sideways V) and that line did not show up either.
smooth: “Johnnybelt, facts are facts. You can sling mud and say all you want that they have never gotten along. ”
It doesn’t matter what I post, or what information I give you. You just counter with ‘it’s misleading’. Yes, I get it. From your point of view, the BCTF has never done anything wrong.
In terms of mud slinging, wasn’t it you above who was alleging that ‘everything I said was a lie’?
Im not totally against slinging mud, but it better be backed up by a fact.
What good are facts when you so easily dismiss the ones you don’t like?
Smooth 1998 was zero zero 2. no compounding there. Even adding that to what you say was 12% in 2005, that works out to 14. So what you are saying is the 7.5 over 3 in 2002 was only an additional 2 percent not compounded? I am no math teacher but even I can call bs on that one.
We went through a recession over the course of the 2000s and you want to make back CPI for all those years?
I now see where the BCTF comes from
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