‘Progress Slow’ Between BCTF and Victoria: PGDTA
Prince George, B.C. – The Prince George and District Teachers’ Association is concerned about the state of negotiations between the BCTF and the provincial government.
President Richard Giroday expressed his concerns at tonight’s monthly public school board meeting.
Richard Giroday addresses the Prince George School Board – photo 250News
He said “progress has been slow” since a preliminary $50 million agreement was signed earlier this month.
He added it’s crucial a final agreement be reached in time to be considered for the provincial budget due to be delivered Feb.21.
Giroday said the funds need to be allocated to allow sufficient time for the hiring of new teachers in time for next September.
He also revealed the district’s portion of the $50 million – $1.26 million – will allow for the hiring of 28 new teachers this school year.
Comments
I don’t understand, how does one reconcile Christy Clark’s “excitement” about the possibility of more special needs teachers, and class size changes, stemming from a Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling in favour of the BCTF, and yet we have this foot dragging from her, and her government?
ht tp://www.cknw.com/2016/11/11/premier-responds-to-bctf-supreme-court-win/
Remember that it was Christy Clark that started this mess by tearing up the contract. She then went on to spend millions of tax payer dollars to fight the decisions through all the courts. She lost her case and now is resisting the payment. Go figure.
Typical Liberal government
Typical BCTF. At least they’re not holding our kids hostage again. (Yet?)
No but the provincial gov sure is holding the kids hostage…have been since Clark was education minister.
I’ll bite. The NDP leader signed off on this and after his resignation the interim leaders put this into the budget. Or did they? I remember clearly the argument that this was too expensive for even them. Can you show – other than just language – that the money was stripped out of the contract? I remember lots of numbers being thrown around by the NDP but did the then finance minister actually expect to pay this out of the budget?
Obviously the resistance from the provincial government is so that they miss including any figure in the provincial budget. Then, since no money is allocated, they can argue that it is too late for this year and has to be implemented during the next budget cycle. Either they hope they will be in government still and can foot drag some more or the NDP will be government and they can accuse the NDP of overspending on education (an oxymoron).
Why would anybody expect the provincial Liberal government to deal with this matter quickly and positively when they spent over a decade and millions of our tax dollars resisting it through the courts as a matter of Liberal party policy. They have not magically changed, they are still the same old anti-teacher, anti-education, anti-public service mob they have always been.
BCTF has not changed either, the hostage taking mob they are. Horgan also has to watch his misstep here too as his government declared the original contract unaffordable before they vacated office. You mistype as well as 50 million was already allocated January 5th.
I did not mistype. The $50 million was a allocated because the Liberal government had no choice but to do something after the courts told them they broke the law. That is, however, only a partial resolution to the damage their illegal actions caused and full reparations are going to have to be paid at some time. That is when the foot dragging takes place because Christy and her henchmen don’t want to have to pay reparations.
Then you did mistype as you state “since no money is allocated”
You need to use the BCTF buzzwords “no new money” it is one of their go to moves
The BCTF wants to get this done quickly before their little hostages go on summer holidays in 4-1/2 months. Can’t negotiate without leverage!
Not surprised the government is a bit cynical of the BCTF after they peruse the Fraser Institutes ratings of public schools in BC. Seems the teachers are the only beneficiaries of the millions poured into the classrooms…
5 out of 6 education dollars go to teacher salaries and benefits. Make no mistake the BCTF are in it for themselves first, students second.
Not surprised how the Fraser Institute, that bastion of right wing thinking and anti-public service dogma, rates the public school system. What on earth else would you expect from them? When funds to do something, such as educate our kids and provide assistance for special needs, are deliberately restricted what do you expect but restricted services as well. One follows the other, you don’t need to be a financial whiz kid to see that.
As to the teachers being the “only” ones to benefit from education funding, that must be the most inane comment I have ever heard on this subject. Really!
You do need to spend wisely and not just throw money at it. Funny how private schools can do more with less budget, maybe they get the cream or the dedicated teachers who also hate the public system? I have met a lot of teachers in the public school system that you would swear hate kids with a passion but are there for the paycheck, have yet to meet one in the private system, odd
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