http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/03/07/bc-teachers-strike.html

Striking teachers in B.C. say they will be back in the classrooms on Thursday, but will continue their previous job action and could exercise their right to strike again next week.

Lambert says teachers will continue their previous job action when they resume work on Thursday, which includes not filling out report cards, supervising recess and meeting with school administrators.

The government has said it could be a week or more before Bill 22 is passed into law. The legislation is designed to end the teachers’ legal strike action and appoint a mediator to settle the contract dispute.

Until the legislation is passed, teachers will be able to strike one day a week, according to a recent ruling by the Labour Relations Board.

In the Prince George District, Friday March 9th is a professional development day, with no school for students on that day.

If Bill 22 is passed in its current form, it would impose a cooling off period to the end of August, which suspends all strike and lockout activities while a mediator attempts to facilitate a negotiated agreement between the BCTF and BCPSEA.

Teachers have been on Phase 1 job action (a “teach only” strike) since the beginning of the school year. Teachers have not been attending any other meetings called by administrators, accepting any printed, written or electronic communications from administrators, providing any routine printed or written communications to administrators, or collecting money from students, in addition to not providing official report cards or supervising students at recess.

Email sent from BCCPAC on March 6th:

These are challenging times for parents and students. BCCPAC will endeavour to provide information on the current dispute between the BC Teachers’ Federation and the Ministry of Education as we receive it from both parties over the next couple of days.

We have received several comments in response to the two emails that were shared yesterday, 1) from the Ministry of Education, 2) from the BC Teachers’ Federation. BCCPAC would like to clarify that these information bulletins represent the position of the authors (the BC Teachers’ Federation and the Ministry of Education) and should be viewed from these perspectives.

The information we receive from 3^rd parties is shared for your information only and we provide no guarantees or warranties (expressed or implied) as to the reliability, accuracy  or completeness of the information shared.  Additional links to information on Bill 22, 27, 28, BCTF and Ministry of Education positions and today’s news releases can be found here http://www.bccpac.bc.ca/index/bill22.aspx

 We encourage our members to continue to support parents through these challenging times as BCCPAC continues to work with educational partners to build relationships, seek solutions, and opportunities for collaboration to support student success.

Email sent from from PGDTA on March 6th:

PGDTA Press Release March 6, 2012

PGDTA Press release March 5, 2012

Press Release March 5, 2012.
Bill 22 Hurts Public Education!

There will be a rally for our PGDTA members, families and supporters of Public Education on Wednesday March 7 at 6PM at the Civic Centre Plaza- Outside.

A Message to Parents from your Teachers

How does Bill 22 The “Education Improvement Act” actually impact classrooms and make class size and composition worse?

• Bill 22 removes the soft cap of three special needs children per class and will result in worsening class composition issues resulting in less attention for the learning needs for your child.

• Bill 22 removes the hard cap of 30 students in grade 4 to 7 classrooms paving the way for classes over 30. There will be no upper limit.

• Bill 22 removes the requirement for the Superintendent to publically report on class size and composition so parents will have less information about learning conditions in their school system

• Bill 22 introduces the “Learning Improvement Fund” to address class composition issues. The fund is $165 million over 4 years. For your child that works out to 29 cents per day next school year.

• Bill 22 makes it illegal for a teacher contract to have any limit on the number of students assigned to a teacher. You child may be one of hundreds seeking attention from a single teacher.

• Bill 22 makes it illegal for a teacher contract to have any limit on caseloads for Learning Assistance/Support teachers. Teachers may be assigned far more children than they can possibly help.

• Bill 22 makes it illegal for a teacher contract to require hiring to be done by qualifications and experience and lets the school Board hire less qualified non-teaching staff to teach your children

Teachers want a fair deal!   Our working conditions are our student’s learning conditions.  Please come to the Rally to hear about what the Liberal Government is doing to Public Education!

________________________________________________________________________
Press Release March 5, 2012
DEMONSTRATION WALK
There will be a demonstration walk for PGDTA
members, families, and supporters of public
education on Wednesday March 7 at 11:30
AM outside the old Integris Credit Union located
at Parkwood.
Teachers want a fair deal!
Our working conditions are our students’
learning conditions. We invite all supporters of
public education, parents, students, labour, and
the general public to come to the rally to show
support and to hear about what the Liberal
government is doing to public education!

The attached files are materials supplied by the BCPSEA, and the BCTF:

• 00-DS-Backgrounder-Bargaining Proposals Feb 2012
•  
• 20120228_081219147_No 2012-02-DS-For the Record-BCTF Fact Sheets
• An Overview of Bill 22
• FairDealFlyer

The Hansard (transcript of what is said in the Legislature) also makes for some interesting reading:

http://www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/39th4th/H20301y.htm

Search for “BILL 22 — EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT”, as there is some discussion of other matters before this bill.

More interesting links:

http://educationlawblog.ca/a-teachers-strike-means-unfortunately-that-we-are-living-in-interesting-times/

http://blogs.vancouversun.com/category/staff/news/eduction/report-card/

http://momsnetwork.ca/2012/03/04/moms-province-bctf-not-putting-students-first-in-contract-dispute/

SD 57 Prince George – school facilities open. Students should not attend school but any that do will be given access to warm, secure room while principals make contact with parents/guardians to get students home. Requesting parents keep children at home. No bus service.

Note that Friday, March 9th, is already scheduled as a professional development day for teachers.

What other school districts are doing across the province:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/03/02/bc-school-districts-strike.html

A variety of camps and child care options are being publicized. Some that have been sent to me are:

Continue reading →

School District 57 letter, as of March 1, 2012:

http://www.sd57.bc.ca/fileadmin/cao.sd57.bc.ca/FORM_AND_DOCUMENTS/2012.03.01_Letter_to_parents_re_strike.pdf

FAQ from School District:

2012.03.01 Teacher strike, FAQ

School District letter as of February 28, 2012:

http://www.sd57.bc.ca/fileadmin/sites/hr.sd57.bc.ca/Forms/2012.02.29_Supt_Letter_to_Parents_re_Job_Action_2.pdf

http://bcpsea.bc.ca/documents/20120301_104311071_No%202012-07%20Essential%20Services%20Update%20-%20BCTF%20Serves%20Notice%20-%20no%20letter%20template.pdf

According to the Labour Relations Board, during any job action BCTF members will not picket, block access or egress or otherwise restrict or cause to be restricted in any way, the full and complete access to schools by members of all support unions or impede the operation of other employers who occupy the same premises as schools or school districts.

Minister’s Statement on Job Action:

http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2012/03/ministers-statement-on-bctf-strike.html

We are truly disappointed by the union’s decision to hold a three-day strike beginning next week. A strike of this nature will significantly disrupt student learning and creates tremendous concern for parents and families.

The union is in a legal strike position. Under the order from the Labour Relations Board, they are able to fully withdraw for three days, but the order is clear that schools are not to be picketed.

Parents are encouraged to find child-care arrangements for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. However, for parents unable to secure alternate arrangements, all public schools will be open and students will be cared for and supervised.

Schools will be staffed by non-unionized school and district personnel. Given the LRB order preventing schools from being picketed, we also expect all unionized school support staff, such as education assistants, to be present as well. While there will be no instructional time, all staff will ensure students are supervised in a safe environment.

Further, school-based child-care services, such as pre-school and after-school care, are not affected by the strike.

 

CUPE statement:

http://cupe.bc.ca/news/2502

The agreement, which the BCTF has asked CUPE to honour, means CUPE members in the K-12 sector are expected to show up to work as scheduled, but should not perform any student supervision which is teacher and administrator work.

http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2012/02/act-sets-k-12-improvements-cooling-off-and-mediation.html

http://bctf.ca/NewsReleases.aspx?id=25663

Feb. 29, 2012

Ministry of Education

MEDIA ADVISORY

VICTORIA – Education Minister George Abbott will be available to engage

teachers and parents directly via Twitter today for a noon hour “Twitter

Chat” about Bill 22, the Education Improvement Act.

This is an opportunity to provide information and to discuss the purpose

of this important legislation.

Event Date: Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012

Time:  12 noon – 1 p.m. PST

Location:

Follow the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag: #bced

Not a Twitter user? You can still follow the conversation here:

https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23bced

Contact:

Ministry of Education

Government Communications and Public Engagement

250 356-5963 (Media Line)

The B.C. Labour Relations Board has decided – teachers may strike for up to three consecutive days, if they give two days notice. After that, they may walk off the job one day a week.

The LRB decision can be found here:

http://www.vancouversun.com/pdf/62039_Int.Order.feb.28.2012.pdf

The government has put forward a bill to legislate an end to the bargaining, found here:

http://www.leg.bc.ca/39th4th/1st_read/gov22-1.htm

The government’s bill to end the bargaining impasse here.

The British Columbia Teachers’ Federation will seek approval for a full-scale strike when it appears Monday night before the B.C. Labour Relations Board.

A special hearing is to begin at 6:30 p.m. local time and continue into the night, with a decision expected as early as Tuesday morning.

http://www.canada.com/teachers+seek+approval+full+scale+strike/6217617/story.html

BCPSEA letter to Labour Relations Board:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/82888208/BCPSEA-Letter-to-LRB-Dated-February-24-2012

Parents may wish to start exploring childcare options, in case a full scale strike occurs.