The School District Budget for 2007/2008

Les Pritchard attended the first Advisory Budget Meeting on behalf of the Union.  The essential message is that the District believes they need to lay off 3 FTE Teachers and 4 FTE Childcare workers but they need a third senior Board office staff member.

Right now there is one administrator for every 8.2 teachers in our District.  This would make that ratio worse yet.

The justification is that they expect 50 fewer students, but the Board staff are too busy. 

Write to Peter Northcott

Peter Northcott asked me to pass along his email address pjnorthcott@shaw.ca so that if anyone is visiting Kamloops they can let him know.

BCTF/CEP Settlement

Term of agreement
3 years (January 1, 2007 – December 31, 2009)

Salary Schedule
Recast at December 31, 2006 to reflect roll over of telephone and Internet allowances (taxable benefits) into salary
January 1, 2007 – 2.0% Increase
January 1, 2008 – 2.0% Increase
January 1, 2009 – 2.0% Increase

Signing bonus of $3500.

Retirement Gratuity and Retirement Benefits
Employees on staff prior to January 31, 2007 and current retirees as of January 31, 2007 are red-circled for existing retirement gratuity and retirement benefits.

Employees hired after January 31, 2007 upon retirement from the Federation shall receive a retirement gratuity equal to 1.5% of annual salary for each year of service with the Federation.

Employees hired after January 31, 2007 may access the retirement health benefits available under Article 22 by paying 100% of the premiums.

Employees hired after January 31, 2007 will be eligible for the Great West Life Group Insurance Plan on a shared basis: 50 % employer paid, 50% employee paid.

New Article: Early Retirement Incentive Plan: Continuing and term employees on staff prior to January 31, 2007, with 4 or more years service with the Federation, who retire from the Federation with less than 10 years of service shall receive an ERIP payment equal to 3.0% per year of service with the Federation, and may access the benefits available under Article 22 by paying 100% of the premiums.

Right to Union Representation
New clause added; “If an employee requests union representation at a meeting with the Federation such a request will not be denied.” Existing discipline related meetings language amended to include “Such, notice will be provided to the Union and the employee in writing with the particulars prior to any meeting being held.”

Leave for Union Business
Added union leave days for attendance at CEP Provincial Council (equivalent to BCTF RA).

“For predictable events, the union shall provide the employer with five (5) days notice.”

Improvements for Term Appointments
Subject to prior approval one (1) return trip and the cost of overnight lodging to be paid for the purposes of interviews, returning to a position, visiting schools or other work sites associated with return to district.

Payment of the costs of cancellation, transfer, or installation fees for services and utilities involved in the relocation.

When a term employee retires from the teaching profession when their term ends, payment of moving and transportation costs to that term retiree’s original location, or to another location with the cost not to exceed a move back to the original location.

New clause: “All appointees shall receive written information pertaining to employment benefits, moving expenses, and other applicable information attached to their appointment letter”.

Holidays and Vacations
To be scheduled by mutual agreement.

New Clause added; “Where the Federation withdraws agreement to an employee’s vacation, the Federation shall compensate the employee for reasonable expenses incurred by the employee that are related to the cancellation.”

The rest of the changes to the collective agreement are very minor.

Alternative Media

The BCTF is one of the Unions that supports The Tyee on-line newspaper.  They are an alternative news source.  If you are interested in what they might offer, then to to the following web site and take a look: http://thetyee.ca/Tyeenews/2007/05/30/SubDrive/

Message from BCTF Table Officers

The BCTF’s FSA campaign has been truly “member-driven” in
the current situation. Clearly the campaign has been
effective. Our initial strategy, of having teachers
communicate with parents about the negative consequences
of these high-stakes provincial tests, worked to raise the
awareness of parents and the public about the harmful
effects of these tests.

When the Ministry responded with measures to constrain our
actions, we were able to find alternative means of
delivering our message (the two-page Georgia Strait
centrefold comes to mind!) and not be sidetracked into a
fight on another issue. In the end the Deputy Minister has
had to put relentless pressure on superintendents,
principals and even parents who have all come to realize
that these tests are undermining the quality of public
education. And in so doing have found themselves isolated,
struggling to implement an agenda that is becoming
increasingly discredited. We were unable to adopt and
implement our planned strategy but we found other actions
that have proved to be equally effective.

Our campaign was effective because there was a clear goal
that was overwhelmingly endorsed by members. We were able
to respond to the situation as it changed with effective
analysis and alternative strategies. We were able to
convince public opinion as we continue to enjoy the
respect and credibility we achieved during our own strike
action, and because locals worked independently but in
tandem to achieve our collective goals.

The FSAs are the lynchpin of the
Accountability/Achievement agenda of the ministry. That is
why there was such a vigorous defence mounted and such
strenuous attempts to coerce administrators and parents to
participate. The FSAs, which result not only in the
ranking of schools but clearly, with the move to align
classroom assessment with FSA results, in the erosion of
the professional responsibility of teachers to design
instruction for the individual students they teach and in
the undermining of public education itself.

Through our FSA campaign we are acting at the best
standard of professional practice as advocates for public
education. Our actions have been effective. We have
succeeded in building an awareness of the hollow promise
of test-driven accountability, the negative consequences
of the achievement-at-any-price agenda and of the role of
teachers as defenders of public education.

We are grateful to all of you who have worked so hard and
so effectively. Thank you for your wisdom and your courage
in carrying out this campaign. The list serve has been an
effective tool, helping us share concerns, strategies and
successes. We are grateful for your strength and regret we
were unable to help as much as we would normally do.
Please refer to the report on the meeting that we had with
the Ministry yesterday for updates on issues related to
Bills 20, 21 and 22, the PQT grant request and the adult
educators situation.

Jinny Sims
Irene Lanzinger
Susan Lambert