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Monday, February 27, 2012

Is it over yet?

As most of you know, BC school teachers have been in job action since last June.  We are currently in Phase 1, meaning that we teach as normal, but don't do the administrative tasks that have slowly become expected of us, or made part of our job.  It was all agreed upon by both sides, and we went forward.  September came and went and people got used to not giving money to teachers for fundraising, no staff meetings, limited duty (we are at a rural school so are required for students' safety to be on duty once a week), but mostly it was business as usual.  Then came time for report cards.  Well then it hit the fan.  The other guys tried to compel us to do report cards, threatened us with applications to the Labour Board, but they didn't win.  Both sides have been meeting down south (78 times in fact) but nothing has come of it.  The Government wants to give 0 and the teachers don't want to take it.  Of course I am simplifying it, but that's really what it boils down to.  Our side (the teachers) feel that we are worth more than zero at least the percentage of inflation for the next 3 years, but the other guys don't agree.  Yes I understand that times are tough, and the government has been overspending as usual, but really.  They knew our contract was coming up and they knew that we would want to negotiate.  I'm not sure that they understood our side actually expected to come away with something.  SOMETHING.  It's been at 0 and will stay at 0 and that's it.  Well report cards are coming up again and the Education Minister stated last week that they would work on legislation over the weekend to end job action.  I just watched a video where the minister used teacher and daycare in the same sentence.  Twice.  When did school and education become daycare?  The public gets upset when their daycare is cancelled, not because their child is missing out on valuable learning and experiences. 
Now the teachers are voting this week to escalate job action while the government puts together legislation and considers mediation. 

Which horse will win the race?

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