Poor B.C. teachers. Their union makes it so hard to love them.
It’s contract time in the province, which means the teachers’ union has issued its latest set of demands for labour peace. This happens every few years or so and each time it does the B.C. Teachers’ Federation’s
Just consider some of the things teachers are looking for this time around: a 26-week, fully paid leave of absence per year for direct or indirect compassionate care “to any person”; 10 days paid bereavement leave upon the death of any friend or relative (up from the five days teachers currently get); five paid days per year for professional activities (they currently get no allowance); two sick days a month that can be saved up.
And, of course, the union is also seeking an as-yet unspecified wage increase.
The B.C. Public School Employers Association
That estimate, which has been widely quoted since it was released, is as goofy as the demands themselves. It is a misleading number based on a range of unlikely assumptions. I’m not sure why the association would promote it; it’s not as if it needs help getting the public worked into a state about the out-of-touch demands and questionable behaviour of the BCTF.
That’s easy.
If it’s not the BCTF’s ludicrous contract wishes angering people, it’s reports that the union-dominated B.C. College of Teachers
A government review last fall revealed how the college had returned the teaching certificate of a man convicted of sexual assault – against students.
It makes you wonder who runs the public education system in the province: the teachers’ union or elected officials?
It’s too bad the BCTF insists on assuming such an outrageous posture every time contract talks roll around. It only serves to undermine the many legitimate issues that teachers have.
Class sizes are, in many instances, far too big for teachers to effectively handle. And many of those classrooms are populated with special-needs students who demand an inordinate amount of a teacher’s time. The teachers probably deserve a wage increase after years of getting nothing – although that may be money that is next to impossible to find.
For its part, the government says it wants teaching standards that are tops in the country, a disciplinary system that the public can have faith in and the ability to get rid of teachers who are not a fit for the profession. Pretty draconian stuff, huh? Not surprisingly, the BCTF has suggested that these measures are akin to breaking the union and stripping it of all its rights. What nonsense.
Anyway, on we go with this tiresome dance.
The teachers’ union has served notice that it will begin job action when kids return to school this fall. It will involve boycotting staff meetings, refusing to complete paperwork or supervise students outside school hours. Which will mean sports teams will have to find others to lead them into the field of battle.
A strike vote was taken and approved by 90 per cent of teachers. The only surprise there is that 10 per cent of teachers did not support the idea of hitting the bricks.
It all means attempts to find common ground on a contract will inevitably fail. The union will accuse the government of not showing teachers any respect and the government will accuse the teachers of living in a parallel universe. The teachers will end up going on strike and the government will end up ordering them back to work some time shortly after that.
And when it’s all over the union will continue to wonder why people don’t understand just how hard done by teachers really are.
