The Alberta Teachers’ Association

British Columbia teachers fight legislation
Bill 22 hurts students and attacks teachers’ rights

Vancouver—Teachers in British Columbia are up in arms over the provincial government’s ­introduction of Bill 22.

According to the British ­Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF), Bill 22 will have a ­negative effect on education in the province.

BCTF says Bill 22 repeals and reintroduces parts of Bills 27/28, which stripped provisions on class size and class composition and were ruled unconstitutional by the BC Supreme Court. All class-size and composition limits found in the current School Act would be wiped out. The new bill sets no limit on the number of students with special needs in a class and no limit on the number of students in Grades 4–12 classes and provides for no consultation with teachers about their classes.

Also Bill 22 would mean the end of collective bargaining for BC teachers. The bill legislates net zero; that is, no salary or benefit improvements or anything that has a cost. Instead of collective bargaining, a ­government-appointed mediator who is bound by net zero and a narrow government mandate focused on employer concessions would be appointed. Strike action would be an offence that could subject members, representatives and the union to fines.

On March 21, BCTF President Susan Lambert announced that the province’s teachers were "putting government on notice. … Government has a choice: government can rethink this legislation, government can rethink its policies around public education, and we’re expecting that government will listen to the voice of teachers; we’ve been asking for so long."

BCTF will be mounting a legal challenge to Bill 22. In April, teachers will decide on what, if any, kind of labour action to take. Action could include everything from withdrawing from extracurricular activities to an illegal walkout that could cost teachers up to $20 million a day in fines.

Ontario’s offer to teachers is "offensive"
McGuinty says curbing teachers’ labour costs will protect education

Toronto—While Ontario teachers are calling the province’s contract offer "offensive" and "unacceptable," the government of Dalton McGuinty is defending its proposal, saying it will protect gains made by education over the past years.

The government is proposing a two-year deal that would freeze salaries and end retirement payouts for unused sick days. The government contends the salary freeze and termination of unused sick day pay will save full-day kindergarten, maintain existing class sizes and protect teachers’ jobs.

An especially contentious issue for the government is the practice of paying out teachers at retirement for unused sick days. Teachers can carry forward unused sick days in return for a lump sum payment equal to 50 per cent of their salary. Under the plan, a teacher at the high end of the scale could receive up to $46,000 at retirement.

Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers’ ­Federation of Ontario, called the tone of the government proposal "mean-spirited."

Teachers’ existing agreements, signed in 2008, saw elementary teachers receive a 10.4 per cent salary hike over four years. ­Secondary teachers received 12.55 per cent over the same period. Teachers’ contracts expire August 31, 2012.