[BC_Labour_E-NEWS] Teachers' Dispute Update
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bc_labour_enews at bcfed.net
Wed Oct 19 09:07:59 PDT 2005
B.C. LABOUR E-NEWS - TEACHERS' DISPUTE UPDATE - October 19, 2005
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CONTENTS
1.> FEDERATION ANNOUNCES JOB ACTION IN EAST AND WEST KOOTENAYS
2.> RALLY IN VICTORIA DISRUPTS SERVICES, ATTRACTS 20,000
SUPPORTERS
3.> PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS HOLDING STRONG
4.> WHAT CAMPBELL'S GOVERNMENT DID TO STRIP THE TEACHERS'
COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT - AN ANALYSIS FROM DAVID SCHRECK
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1.> FEDERATION ANNOUNCES JOB ACTION IN EAST AND WEST KOOTENAYS
Vancouver - B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair yesterday
announced that workers will continue to protest Bill 12 on
Wednesday in the East and West Kootenays as the next stage of the
Federation's co-ordinated job action plan.
"As we explained last week, we would escalate job action in other
regions of the province if the government failed to settle this
dispute with BC's teachers," said Sinclair.
Sinclair says unions will continue to ensure that all patient care
services remain intact, so health care facilities as well as
services to people with disabilities will not be affected. Teck
Cominco will also not be affected due to the current labour
dispute.
"It's unfortunate that the Campbell government hasn't taken any
opportunity to resolve this situation and has prolonged this
dispute even further."
Union members walked off the job Monday in Victoria as the first
stage in a co-ordinated job action plan announced by the
Federation last Friday. Up to 20,000 protesters marched to the
Legislature on Monday, and services were disrupted throughout
Greater Victoria as private and public sector union members
refused to cross picket lines.
"We were hopeful that Premier Campbell got the message on Monday,
but apparently, the government needs to hear the message from more
British Columbians. That's what's going to happen today in the
Kootenays," said Sinclair. "We repeat: a negotiated settlement is
the only way to solve the crisis they have created."
Rallies will be taking place today in the following communities:
CRANBROOK
Gather in front of Bill Bennett's office (near access centre)
11:00-11:45 am
100C Cranbrook Street North
RALLY 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
NELSON
The White Building
310 Ward Street
Nelson, BC
RALLY 4:00 pm
TRAIL
12 Noon
The Cenotaph
Pine Street
Trail, BC
March to the Board office
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2.> RALLY IN VICTORIA DISRUPTS SERVICES, ATTRACTS 20,000
SUPPORTERS
Thousands of union members in Greater Victoria and all CUPE
members on Vancouver Island were off the job on Monday in protest
of Bill 12, the legislation imposed by the BC Liberals to force BC
Teachers back to work.
The protesters turned up early in Centennial Square prepared for
poor weather and the mood was upbeat as they moved along
Government Street for the rally at the Legislature. Speakers
included B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair, BCTF
President Jinny Sims, Canadian Teachers' Federation President
Winston Carter, CUPE-BC President Barry O'Neill, BCGEU President
George Heyman and CAW BC/Alberta Area Director Anne Davidson.
Representatives from 13 teacher organizations across Canada were
also there to bring greetings, as were many NDP MLAs.
"The unity shown by the labour movement on Monday sent a very
powerful message to BC Liberal MLAs," said B.C. Federation of
Labour President Jim Sinclair. "They have seriously underestimated
the anger over Bill 12 and public support for the teachers."
Sinclair says teachers have no reason to trust the government
after the BC Liberals ripped up guarantees on class size and
composition when they imposed a contract in 2002.
"Clearly, it is up to the government to come down off their high
horse and get kids back in school."
+++|+++
3.> PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS HOLDING STRONG
A new BC Ipsos Reid poll taken last weekend shows that
teachers and the BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF) are ahead in the
battle for public support in their ongoing contract dispute with
their employer and the provincial government. Nearly six-in-ten
(57%) residents say they tend to side more with teachers and the
BCTF in this dispute. About one-third (34%) of residents tend to
side more with the public school boards and the provincial
government. These results are virtually unchanged from an Ipsos
Reid poll taken one week ago that found the public supporting
teachers and the BCTF by a margin of 55% to 33% over the employer,
the BC Public School Employers' Association.
Majority (57%) Side With Teachers/BCTF Over School Boards And
Provincial Government (34%)
Public Split On Continued Strike Action - Half (47%) Support
Teachers Staying Out, Other Half Disapprove Of Strike Action
Altogether (37%) Or Just Think It's Time For Teachers To Get Back
To Work (14%)
+++|+++
4.> WHAT CAMPBELL'S GOVERNMENT DID TO STRIP THE TEACHERS'
COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT - AN ANALYSIS FROM DAVID SCHRECK
A look at what Campbell's government did to strip the teachers'
collective agreement shows why those words lack credibility and
anger teachers.
On January 26, 2002, during a special weekend sitting of the
legislature, then Labour Minister Graham Bruce began second
reading debate of Bill 28, the legislation that removed working
and learning conditions from the teachers' collective agreement.
Bill 12 (2005) extended the contract that was stripped and
legislatively imposed in 2002. The first words uttered by the
Minister in second reading debate of Bill 28 were: "Mr. Speaker,
this bill helps government restore sound fiscal management by
increasing operating flexibility in our K-to-12 - kindergarten-to-
grade-12 - and college and institute systems." The government knew
what it was doing. The school boards had no choice but to increase
class sizes and allow unlimited numbers of special-needs students
in any class in order to help pay for the Campbell government's
reckless tax cuts.
When BC's Supreme Court set aside an arbitrator's ruling on the
application of Bill 28 to the School Act, the government
intervened in 2004 with Bill 19 and overturned the court decision
with legislation that said: "For certainty and despite any
decision of a court to the contrary made before or after the
coming into force of this subsection, nothing in this section is
to be construed as authorizing a board or the Provincial union to
enter into a collective agreement that includes a provision that
is prohibited under section 27 (3) or void under section 27 (2),
(5) or (6)." (emphasis added) It looks like the Campbell
government picks and chooses which court decisions it will abide.
The government was deceptive on the issue of class size. Bill 28
amended the School Act so as to implement maximum class sizes for
grade 3 and below and maximum average class sizes within any
school district for the higher grades. Adjustments to class size
were no longer required as class composition changed. Setting
limits higher than previously permitted under the collective
agreement, and using district averages allowed school boards over
the two years ending September 30, 2003, to reduce the number of
full time equivalent educators (teachers and principals) by 7.19%
(2,585) while the number of full time equivalent students
decreased by only 1.97% (11,555).
Visit David Schreck's website:
< http://strategicthoughts.com >
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