STRIKE- Information

Teacher Strike---I really wish they would call it the Children’s Strike or something much more witty. 

As hard working principals work away this August the biggest question being asked is if student’s will be returning to school in time this September.

Joint statement on bargaining between the BCTF and BCPSEA
Early in the summer, the parties met for exploratory discussions with Mr. Justice Stephen Kelleher.  BC Teachers’ Federation President Jim Iker and Peter Cameron, BCPSEA chief negotiator, want to express their appreciation to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of BC for making Justice Kelleher available to assist the parties.  They also want to express their appreciation to Justice Kelleher for his assistance, particularly given his demanding schedule.

Over the summer, discussions continued between Jim Iker and Peter Cameron, leading up to last Friday’s face-to-face session of the two bargaining teams.

Following that session, at the request of the parties, Vince Ready indicated his availability this week and later in August.  The parties then asked Mr. Ready to engage with them in exploratory talks.  Following telephone contact with the parties last weekend, Mr. Ready met separately with the parties on August 13.  Mr. Ready agreed to monitor the situation, and to resume exploratory talks or commence full mediation when he believes it will be productive.

The parties agreed that they will not engage in public discussion pending further discussions with Mr. Ready.

Teachers and hopefully most of the BC population are fighting for;

BETTER SUPPORT FOR KIDS and FAIR deal for teachers
What’s at the heart of this dispute?
It’s simple: a strong public education system!
In 2002, the BC Liberal government illegally removed key provisions within the BCTF collective agreement, including language that protected class size limits, support for students with special needs, and specialist teacher staffing levels. As a result $275 million has been cut from the education system each year.  The BC Supreme Court ruled that the government broke the law by removing these vital provisions, and has twice ordered the government to return them. The  BC Liberals refuse, choosing instead to continue to underfund our education system and fail to provide our kids with the supports they deserve.
 
BC teachers are standing up for our public education system
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All kids deserve smaller classes and better one-on-one support.
Staffing levels for counsellors, teacher-librarians, English language learning teachers, resource support teachers, and other specialist teachers must be improved.
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BC’s per-student funding is the second worst in the country, $1,000 below the national average. Kids can’t wait any longer. It’s time to reinvest in public education.
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Teachers are asking for a fair and reasonable salary increase. They have not had a raise since 2010. BCTF has asked the government to enter into unconditional mediation as the best opportunity to reach a fair and reasonable deal. Please tell the BC Liberal government to give mediation a chance!
Learn more at www.afairdeal.ca

10 THINGS YOU CAN DO:
1- Contact your school trustees
2- Contact you mayors, city councillors, and other locally elected officials
3- Contact your MLAs
4- Contact Premier Clark and Minister Fassbender
5- Talk to other concerned people
6- Keep sharing
7- Write Letters
8- Tell government to “Put Children First”
9- Walk the line with your teachers
10- Tell a teacher and child you care

 
Enrolling your child into a private program ‘until’ the strike ends pulls funding from schools.  If your child is enrolled past Oct, and you wish to re-enroll them, that public school will get zero funding for educating your child.  When a child moves from one school to the other past the Oct. deadline, funding does not follow your child.  Please think before you try to put a bandaid over a Provincially wide problem.  It is NOT JUST YOU and YOUR CHILD being effected by this strike. 

SUPPORT YOUR FUTURE, CHILDREN and TEACHERS PLEASE.