2. Government hasn’t responded in any meaningful ways to union proposals.

Laughing would be the only meaningful response.

So clark offers $1200.. and the union counters with $5000… back to you government… clark is paying for a mistake she made when she was edcuation minister and illegally ripped up the contract.. she is now trying to cover it up with spin doctoring.. and its failing..just like she is failing all of BC.

I hope Christie keeps up the great work, eventually they will go hungry and either find other jobs or go back to work. They deserve no more than what is offered. Lots of younger teachers are willing to work and probably not as jaded as the older teachers

Here’s what I think is laughable in their demands:

1) Top-up of 100% for pregnancy leave
2) Top-up of 60% for parental leave
3) Upon the teacher’s death, continuation of benefits for dependents for a period of 12 months
4) Inclusion of fertility drugs
5) Massage Therapy – $3,000 per year maximum with a doctor’s prescription.
6) Hearing aids phased in from $1,500 – 2,500
7) Pretty much their entire dental plan increases
8) Professional development funding. I have no idea what this means but don’t they already get paid for pro D days?
9) Signing bonus.

“I wish I made as much as a teacher”
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard that… I would be pretty damn broke. I’m not a teacher, nor do I have any close friends that are teachers, but what the Liberals are doing to them is wrong. The Supreme Court of Canada seems to agree as well. It was proven in court the liberals intentionally provoked the teachers to strike in 2012.

It’s astonishing to me how quickly everyone can turn their backs on teachers. Sure, growing up I’ve had some poor quality teachers, but you will find poor performance in any profession.

My teachers were who inspired me to do better, and push myself. They applauded my accomplishments and picked me up where I failed. I’m the person who I am because of the work of great teachers. It blows my mind how some people can be short sighted about the benefits of appropriate funding of education. Best of luck teachers.

I should also mention I do not work for a union, and typically don’t support unions.

Teacher, WELL SAID!

You people are missing the point, negotiations, again negotiations. The government f##### up and they have you all believing their tail of woe.

Oh oh. Sounds like some posters are not happy the BCTF did not bend over. Maybe on the Clark payroll

“Lots of younger teachers are willing to work and probably not as jaded as the older teachers”

Old teachers, young teachers are still covered under the Canadian constitution. So even if all the old teachers quit the government still has to obey the law of the land!

Axman #8 is for funding for professional development courses. Courses on how to deal with difficult kids/ teenagers are expensive. You don’t expect the teachers to pay for those out of their own picket do you?

Why would the government want to settle anything with anyone, they are the ones collecting a paycheck, and a hefty one at that, and really, do you think they really give a damn about the public children in general, hell no, because again the government can affort a big fat pay check and private school. It’s going to be a bumpy ride for all the citizens in BC, because again, the government still gets a big fat pay check.

Sure lots of misinformation, that is what the government is counting, the missinformed.

Krusty don’t care seems her kid goes to private school. Maybe she will up the amount of taxpayers money will go into those schools. Wonder what their class make is?

Then Pro-D days should be mandatory. Many times during the fall and spring I have gone golfing and been joined up with teachers on Pro-D days. I was told by those teachers that they are not mandatory to attend.

Axman #8 is for funding for professional development courses. Courses on how to deal with difficult kids/ teenagers are expensive. You don’t expect the teachers to pay for those out of their own picket do you?

——–

Why not? They chose the profession and it they want to progress in their chosen field they need to foot some of the bill.

Teacher with $6 in her bank account calls on BCTF to reach a deal

http://globalnews.ca/news/1538270/teacher-with-6-in-her-bank-account-calls-on-bctf-to-reach-a-deal/

Listen, Seamut, you can insult me seven ways from Sunday in all sorts of other ways, but please, I’m begging you, quit confusing me and Clark – really, it’s too much . . .

Have to agree with you on that axman. There are loads if professions out there that require their members to partake in continuing education and very often that is funded by the individual, not the employer. It’s just something that people need to do sometimes to maintain their professional designations or certifications.

you voted her in all you union members when everyone said they were done

“4) Inclusion of fertility drugs
5) Massage Therapy – $3,000 per year maximum with a doctor’s prescription.”

First step would be to take the bizarre stuff off the table.

seamut, re your comment: “Sure lots of misinformation, that is what the government is counting, the missinformed.”

Oh sure, and you and all of the other Teacher/BCTF supporters take Iker’s dribble as gospel?? That brings to mind the phrase “the blind, leading the blind”!

The biggest problem that the BCTF has is that far more of us are far more intelligent and far more informed than they think we are!!

usually, I don’t enjoy getting involved in these discussions. But there are too many pieces of misinformation propagated on this site. Hart Guy, I challenge you to a respectful debate on this topic, with full documentation of all points made. Not opinions, just facts….and let all read.

quesnel, in the past, I have provided links to support many of my “opinions”! Unfortunately, those that support the teachers, the BCTF and the NDP failed to acknowledge the information provided as it goes contrary to their “opinion”!

What might lead me to believe that anything has changed?

P Val The signing bonus was in effect if a contract was signed by June 1st so as of June 2nd there was no bonus to bargain about.

Got a good laugh this afternoon with Iker trying to cloud how far apart the sides are in wages, instead of saying it is $300,000,000.00 cause that is a big number to even Jimmy Patteson, but said it was only a couple of buck per kid per day. I guess instead of saying they have one signed contract in three decades they will say they average three per century as it makes them look better.

Good they got the massage message and will not be getting backrubs, they pain they cause is slightly lower.

Vince Ready already tried that quesnel, to no avail. Don’t think they gave him a bunch of misinformation.

Does anyone know what kind of wages and benefits the executive of the BCTF are getting, and during this labour dispute are they giving any of their wages and benefits up?

hello all. ok Hart Guy,, where is your proof, that “far more of us are more informed than they think we are ” ? perhaps you are correct , but what proof do you have for that statement ?

Slinky, I doubt that Vince asked Hart Guy the same question.

These are the facts the teachers haters hate!
The government broke the law twice!
The teachers aren’t giving up what they won in court.

Posted on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 @ 6:04 PM by charles
Does anyone know what kind of wages and benefits the executive of the BCTF are getting, and during this labour dispute are they giving any of their wages and benefits up?
————————————–

Such an old story!

No but he did ask the horses mouth, BCPSEA and BCTF

And where is your proof , Slinky ? Again many things are said on this site with no proof.

They have had 71 Bargaining days, no resolution

[url]http://www.bcpsea.bc.ca/documents/whatsnew/00-Chronology-2013-2014%20BCPSEA-BCTF%20Bargaining%20Round.pdf[/url]

link went to the site mod

http://www.bcpsea.bc.ca/documents/whatsnew/00-Chronology-2013-2014%20BCPSEA-BCTF%20Bargaining%20Round.pdf

I understand Christy Clark twittered “packing my son’s lunch for school. How about the rest of you” Now does this sound like a leader to you? I fully support the teachers. Classrooms are not what they were like even 10 years ago. More money needs to be put back into education.Into the classrooms. All children have a right to a proper education.

Here’s what I think is laughable in their demands:

1) Top-up of 100% for pregnancy leave
2) Top-up of 60% for parental leave
3) Upon the teacher’s death, continuation of benefits for dependents for a period of 12 months
4) Inclusion of fertility drugs
5) Massage Therapy – $3,000 per year maximum with a doctor’s prescription.
6) Hearing aids phased in from $1,500 – 2,500
7) Pretty much their entire dental plan increases
8) Professional development funding. I have no idea what this means but don’t they already get paid for pro D days?
9) Signing bonus.

This is a NEGOTIATION. If you don’t understand how that works look it up.

“Christy Clark calls on teachers to end strike; BCTF stands firm”
From the Vancouver Sun.

Finally we know, it’s not about the students at all.

1) Top-up of 100% for pregnancy leave
2) Top-up of 60% for parental leave
3) Upon the teacher’s death, continuation of benefits for dependents for a period of 12 months
4) Inclusion of fertility drugs
5) Massage Therapy – $3,000 per year maximum with a doctor’s prescription.
6) Hearing aids phased in from $1,500 – 2,500
7) Pretty much their entire dental plan increases
8) Professional development funding. I have no idea what this means but don’t they already get paid for pro D days?
9) Signing bonus.

axeman… # 1…. EI covers that.. Why be different

#2 Already is a program in place for this

#3 No problem with this. Others have it on insurance

#4 Definitely not.. Go adopt

#5 1500 is good enough.Pay balance yourself if you need it

#6 Yes.. It costs a lot with new technology

#7 Yes.. I have two plans but still pay on top of that

#8 Make it mandatory or no pay for the day

#9 Signing bonus??? That’s a laugh.. Want to to be paid to go back to work.. HELLNOOO .

Just wondering, did anyone figure out what happened to the strike fund that these teachers have been paying in to for years? Is that good fiscal management or what? If you are a good employee, have integrity and do your job well, why then do you need a union? Most union agreements work off the Labour Relations Act and the Labour code anyway, so don’t see the need for these folks to even have a union. With all the degrees and Masters degrees, you’d think there’d be some sense of what’s needed, not what’s wanted. Oh well, wish for the moon……………

It’s very clear by the ridiculous comments posted here that most of the teacher/union bashers are clueless when it comes to negotiations. You should go back to school and learn what negotiations are all about. Oh wait, that would mean you would require the services of a teacher. That would be a first wouldn’t it?

My understanding of the prior court cases were that teachers won the right to have language put back into now expired contracts. The judge said the issues should be bargained in the future. Further success is purely a moral victory. Pretty hollow victory in my mind. Means nothing and provides no negotiation leverage at all. Unfortunate bctf strategy to bet it all on court outcomes.

Couldn’t make it as a teacher or in a union hey Grizz? Your attitude is very telling.

Axman, to be fair Iker has taken the 3,000.00 massages off the table recently. We only get this from Iker himself as they have not met yet since August 8th for him to table the new demand of only 500.00 to 700.00 in massages per year. But here again on CBC he states one percent apart in wages but he is at 7.5% and the BCPSEA is at 5.5% as far as most people know.
Keeping people in the dark about his new proposals is only fueling the fire and causing confusion to every party involved including the ones he wants to support him (the tax paying public)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-teachers-strike-union-rejects-premier-s-demand-to-suspend-strike-1.2754463

Grizzly2 they want you to donate the 40 bucks a day to the union strike fund. You pay the union today via paypal and then collect the money back from the government 30 days after the strike is over.

The last strike by the BCTF was in 2005 and they were ordered by the Supreme Court to not pay the teachers strike pay during the illegal strike so there should be a ton of money in the war chest.

“Just wondering, did anyone figure out what happened to the strike fund that these teachers have been paying in to for years? Is that good fiscal management or what?”

They spent the strike fund grizz fighting the criminals in court! You want to talk fiscal management? Well the Libs are using tax payers dollars paying for court cases that they are losing.

Isis..that 300,000,000 is only a third of what the liberals took out of ICBC coffers. 900,000,000. Any idea what happened to the missing 600,000,000 ?

Now ICBC wants to raise our rates…nice way to tax us more for the govs incompetence don’t you think?

Slinky..illegal strike.. And as education minister she illegally ripped up the contract with the teachers. Proven twice in court.. Ooops

We all know what the union has done. Shoot for the sun and hopefully get the moon. Well, how has that worked for you?

Only the BCTF can ignore court orders hey PVal?

No but only the liberal party can use tax payers money to fight the Supreme Court in a losing battle.

Byob the teachers just want %1.6 raise. Is that to much to ask ?

That is not all they want, you been on the moon?

Oh yeah, the reason the liberals lost in court.. The teachers want class size and composition kept in the contract…which the liberals refuse to include…even though it only impacts our kids education immensely.

Teachers are not special, they are employees like the rest of the world. Those of you who wish to place them on a pedestal: you write the check! I am not willing to pay them any more than what everyone else is receiving. Not a penny more! No one held a gun to their head and told them to go to teachers college, They Made That Decision. Now live with it or move on, like the rest of the work force who decide one day to change careers…..but no “we’re teachers we’re special” What a load of BS! To top it off…..add it up people….with summer, Christmas and sick days…they work 9 months a year….but that’s ok….”they’re teachers”…….no they’re employees!

Iker on the news yesterday does not want to go back to the bargaining table, he want to go to the mediation table. That is all he talks about in his interview. Well bud Vince Ready already told you you are too far apart for that but do you listen? Rose coloured glasses.

That is the broken record talking PVal. There is still the 225 million in back pay, the 225 million a year for future class composition pay. He dropped 150 million of the demand…didn’t specify where or what to the public just 150 million off. So 150 million back pay and 150 million per year is still on his agenda? How much is a signing bonus they don’t deserve because they missed the incentive period in the total of millions of dollars? He dropped his 3,000 in extra massages to save face but told noone except himself, now he wants ‘just’ 500-700 in massage benefit.

Very interesting read in this morning’s Vancouver Province newspaper, Michael Smyth’s “In The House” column, on Page A6.

Reading the column reminded me that not too long ago, the CUPE support workers settled their contract with the Government. I understand that this new contract contained additional funding for more CUPE support staff, including Education Assistants. The BCTF complained that they needed more support and it seems like they got it! Unfortunately the new staffing dollars are for more CUPE members, not more BCTF members! Guess that’s why Jim Iker has his shorts in a knot!

So, does Iker want more assistance for students, or does he want more BCTF members paying BCTF Union dues?

Read Michael Smyth’s column and come up with your own opinion!

Despite the ongoing protests of the resident NDP supporters, the people of BC gave the Liberals a mandate. The BCTF is an organization that serves the needs of its members.

Dragon, I was a teacher and I was in a union, so yeah, I have quite a bit of inside knowledge.
That’s why I’ve been so fed up with the BCTF for the past 30 years.

People will have their own opinions on this matter.
That’s pretty obvious.

Wait…

For…

It…

Go Teachers!
Stand up and stay out for your rights!
From this parent of two children under 10, do what you have to do!

1: Teachers withhold coaching kids while on strike
2: Parents who coach teachers kids keep coaching even when they are on strike from there jobs
3: Teachers want more help with special needs kids
4: Parents now producing more special needs kids or when I went to school we had the same amount of kids that required this help we just didn’t label them as special needs
5: Teachers from that time taught them all now with labeling want more help to do the same job they always did
6: New teachers knew when they went to school and got certified what the hazards of the job are.
Same as firemen, police officers, doctors, or any other profession. If you don’t want to teach chose another job that gets every vacation a student gets as time off.
There must be tons of them out there.

Also noted in this morning’s Vancouver Province:

“There were 558,985 students enrolled in public schools last year served by 32,658 full-time-equivalent teachers and administrators. If you divide the number of kids by the number of educators, you get 17.1 kids per educator, which might make you wonder about the constant clamour about class sizes.

If you remove administrators, the students were taught by 30,064 FTE teachers, 18.6 students per teacher, who earned on average, with allowances, $74,213.

The average kindergarten class in B.C. last year had 19.3 kids, an average of 21.5 students were in Grade 1-3 classrooms, and the average was 25.7 and 23 kids in Grades 4-7 and 8-12.

One can always make the case, as teachers do, that more money is needed, but where does that end? How much is enough, and who decides? The numbers suggest things aren’t that bad. Surely, better use of resources could fix the worst problems.

Both sides must find a way to get kids back in classrooms.”

I’ve cut and pasted this from the Province, so I’m just the messenger! don’t shoot the messenger ;-)

More food for thought:

Iker said Fassbender “is going to great lengths to make the gap between his government and the B.C. teachers appear as wide as possible. But when you crunch the numbers, the gap adds up to only $3.00 per student, per day.”

So, using Iker’s $3.00 per student, per day, and using my earlier post showing 558,985 students enrolled in public schools, that adds up to a gap only $1,676,955.00 per day!

Taking that one step further, assuming that there are approximately 190 school days per year, that “gap” works out to only $318,621,450.00 PER YEAR!!

That teeny tiny eensy weensy little “gap” represents the difference between what the Government is offering and what the BCTF is demanding!!

$318,621,450.00 PER YEAR!

Iker and I definitely have differing opinions about what constitutes a gap! Gap?? More like a freakin’ CHASM!!

Econ102 said, “Those of you who wish to place them on a pedestal: you write the check!”.

We already do. We are taxpayers and its our money we want to pay them with.