TEACHERS, YOU HAVE A DIFFICULT CHOICE TO MAKE

Education Minister Peter Fassbender and BCTFf Pres Jim Iker

Teachers will have to decide whether to give their BCTF an overwhelming mandate to play hardball at the bargaining table or to say adamantly, strike a deal ASAP. Teachers are angry. If you are a teacher, how angry are you? Are you angry enough to go on full strike and finish off the school year that way? Do you agree with the demands that your BC Teachers Federation is making?

If as I am led to believe, wages are not the primary objective but of more crucial concern are class sizes and composition, then teachers need to tell their representatives to bring the salary demand more in line with the government offer. Negotiation logic expects that the government then will be more inclined to address class size and composition demands.

The most recent ask by the union is for a pay hike of 9.75 per cent over four years, not including the cost-of-living allowance that compensates for inflation. That reflects an increase of 3 per cent in the first year, followed by 2.25 per cent each year over the following three years. So while 9.75% doesn’t sound like much, the impact is larger of course because of the unexpressed cost of living compensation. When the government reads that demand it says the compounded numbers come to a total increase of 14.7%. That doesn’t appear to be a great improvement over the earlier 15.9% BCTF demand.

The B.C. Public School Employers Association (the government’s bargaining vehicle) earlier offered 7.3% over six years. That’s a presumptuous offer too, representing no salary increase apart from bare cost of living increases.

I believe that if BCTF made a request for 10% over four years and that includes COLA, as well as the class size and composition proviso, there would be a deal. That demonstrates to government a noteworthy willingness to compromise and it underscores that the primary issues are class size and composition each of which speaks to parents about the desire to provide superior education to children.

PETER CAMERON – CAN TEACHERS EXPECT A FAIR DEAL?

Photo is by David P. Ball

Let’s examine how likely it is that teachers will get a fair deal with Peter Cameron as chief negotiator.

Cameron is the hired gun negotiator mandated to bring resolution to the Liberal government and BC Teachers dispute. Cameron’s reputation as a strong and shrewd spokesperson was birthed at the vanguard of the Canadian Association of Industrial, Mechanical and Allied Workers (CAIMAW) in 2002 when he was their chief mining negotiator. Then he was on the workers’ side. He was appointed as a union panelist on the LRB (Labour Relations Board) for a four-year term. In an acrimonious departure he left CAIMAW to join Unifor and Health Sciences Association becoming its executive director in 1990. In 1992, he became NDPs assistant deputy health minister. He was now on employer's side and he never returned to the union side of the negotiation table.

He immediately brokered a ‘social contract’ with the B.C. Health Care workers that was a win-win for government as well as workers. However, under the Liberals, Cameron, at no time has negotiated for workers, any deal outside the tight-fisted government imposed guidelines and restrictions. This displays his hand, his loyalty. He could broker a wage increase for teachers if he chose to do so because he clearly understands that the government does have money despite the denials. Instead of the evenhanded skill of a celebrated negotiator, he now plays to the public with predisposed comments that predict another inequitable conclusion for teachers in B.C.

In the above piece, I have précised a remarkable article written in The Tyee on 24 May 2014, by Rod Mickleburgh, entitled, ‘Who is the Man Steering the Fortunes of BC Teachers.’

WHY TEACH AND WORK IN BC?

I am altering my focus from child protection to education, specifically, the teachers' and the BC government. I may speak about this for a while.

Why Teach and work in BC?

This is the lead of a web page entitled ‘Make a Future’ which is recruitment initiative by the BC Public School Employers’ Association and 60 BC public boards of education, the First Nations Education Steering Committee, and the Ministry of Education. It’s a job board that presents a glamorous description of BC’s beauty, lifestyle and location and compels the reader with, “If you and your family are looking to move, now is the time. Need a little more convincing? Here are a few other reasons to live here:

• BC has some of the lowest income tax rates in the country both for individuals and families
• BC’s healthcare system has some of the best statistics in Canada, including the longest life expectancy of any Canadian province
• The province has a world-class public education system; in fact other countries are looking to BC as a model
• As the world economy shifts to the Asia Pacific region, BC will be (and has always been) the gateway to the Pacific

There has never been a better time to live and work here. Come and see for yourself!”

The last statement should be questioned and the first question should be asked once again and both of them tested with the present negotiation impasse in mind. Has there ever been a better time to live and teach in BC? Why live and teach in BC?

There must surely have been a better time to be a teacher in BC than at the present moment. One would be hard-pressed to expound convincing reasons to teach in BC right now. The most emotional justification from 550,000 public school teachers in this province might be comments such as “This is my home;” and “I love teaching;” and “teaching is honourable.”

TODAY WAS THE DAY

Today was the day.

Poster Designed by Jean Nicol

The news became public that Amie Van Dyk, biological mom to Ayn Van Dyk was, as of today, the legal guardian and primary custodial caregiver for her daughter. There are no continuing supervision requirements involved. At Amie’s request, Ayn will remain with the present foster caregivers for the next two weeks so that she can conclude her schooling with her present class and teacher. During those two weeks Ayn can come home for the weekends. Both of these parents, Amie and Derek Hoare,  share a mutual respect that allowed them to say that Ayn coming home was of paramount importance, and if she could not be returned to one, then each wanted the other to be that guardian. From that expression it can be assumed that Derek will now once again be able to enjoy the company of his daughter as well, and this youngest of three children will be able to spend time with her two brothers who live with dad.

Needless to say, this is a happy, happy day.  The family is ecstatic. And remarkably there are over 3,000 Facebookers who tied onto Ayn’s case and her page and have been eagerly longing for this day. Whoever we are, it is impossible not be the teeniest bit emotional about this. Three years of separation is a very long time, too long.

MCFD did the right thing on this particular day. That’s all I can say about that.

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1 - One more day of waiting for the Court Case at which the future or part of the future of Ayn Van Dyk will be learned. No one knows what the judge who is charged with this case tomorrow, will do with the presentation to be made by the legal team of the Ministry of Children and Family Services. Why wouldn’t I be interested when I have been following the glacial flow of this girl’s progress to freedom for the past three years. Clearly this is not about me or anyone else on this support page. This is about one small girl and the interruption into her daily family life that was made by a bureaucratic government agency. When this began, her story was championed by her father. Family members and friends began and promoted this Facebook page to let the province and eventually the world know how ministry concern had morphed into negligent interference. The Facebook page did what it was designed to do, gathered the interest of others who are moved by a girl’s dilemma, a family’s sadness, and a glaring injustice. I must say that I cannot help but be interested in tomorrow’s Court event since it is the most promising moment thus far in Ayn’s case. My interest doesn’t help anyone, yet nevertheless attentive parties cannot help but to speculate what may happen. It’s natural. It’s predictable for someone like me who has watched the MCFD shaft so many people in the past. It should be expected that people like me will show compassionate interest when our hearts have been touched by a young girl’s story.

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2 represents Sunday and Monday, two days until the Court Hearing in which a presiding judge will learn that a TCO, Temporary Custody Order has come to a conclusion. The TCO has authorized the MCFD to hold Ayn Van Dyk in its custody until June 3rd. The TCO was supposed to justify holding Ayn Van Dyk in foster care and away from her parents' custody and loving care. That order finishes. Caution: That natural conclusion has not stopped MCFD in other earlier cases, with other people's children. It's possible the concluding date may not stop MCFD this time. MCFD could try for a continuation. MCFD lawyers might use delay tactics, the lawyer's too busy schedule, or sudden bilious  attack preventing his presence in court, or the death of a beloved family member, the lawyer's pet Dalmatian.

What also could happen and should happen is that the MCFD will act responsibly, realizing there is no substantial reason to hold this child now, and therefore to tell the judge that MCFD recommends that Ayn be returned to one of her parents. Perhaps MCFD has even worked towards that outcome. We'll see won't we?

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3 days until the TCO concludes ... it should mean something. It should mean what it says, but, will it? Will MCFD actually stop?

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Ayn and Mommy within the past three years

Ayn and Daddy when she was a small girl 

4 days remain for the current TCO, Temporary Court Order by which the Ministry of Children and Family Development hold Ayn Van Dyk, in foster care in her 12th year of life. She was nine years of age when she was removed from her father's custody.

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only five days left ...

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6 days until ...