Alan2005

The solution is to split the bctf into the regulatory body which is compulsory for teachers and the union which is not. That way the leadership would actually have to represent its members or they will leave. Nobody wants that though, the BC gov loves this stuff just as much as the bctf.

scrubbedexpat091

This is the sheet the government released on the sticking points.

ExKiwilass

I've spent the past few weeks looking at private schools. Like, really looking at them and thinking about whether we should just pull sprog out of public or switch her at the end of elementary. Unfortunately 90% of them are full of religious claptrap

Novocastrian

Teacher want cash, but how much and when did teacher last get some?

What means $500m or $300m in per cent thingies?

Oink

Its not really about how much they want, its about how badly this situation has been judged and executed by the BCTF. I have no idea who their policy adviors are but they need to fire them today. They've misjudged the public appetite for a dispute, they've badly misjudged the provincial governments willingness to cough up. Any union worth their dues, would have had people in or near the ministry and known full well how far they can go and made a strategy based on that. Their best option would have been to keep things low key. Unfortunately for the teachers, the BCTF executive wouldn't be getting their rocks off that way.

The teachers will never recuperate the amount they've lost in wages with any pay rise. So you have to ask yourself what is the point of all this and why piss off parents and ruin the end of term for the children?

JonboyE

The going rate for government workers is about 5%. BCTF claimed 20% + and the government offered 4%, or up to 7% if the BCTF would sign a longer term deal. The longer term deal is now off the table AFAIK.

In a last ditch attempt so settle, the BCTF offered to drop their wage demand by 5% and are, apparently, totally outraged that the government did not increase their wage offer by an equivalent 5%.

The numbers may not be quite correct but are not wildly off.

Alan2005

Given there's 1000s of teachers willing to do the job for less, why are they getting anything? Teachers aren't exactly a scarce commodity nowadays.

Oink

Roughly speaking these are their demands, plus they want the ministry to cut their workload by reducing class sizes which will cost another $300 million.

Novocastrian

Thanks. Bolded bit, WTF not?

Oink

Especially in the greater Vancouver area. The teachers should fire all of the BCTF excitative, get rid of all these old parasites and get some younger people in who have a clue and will represent them responsibly and effectively.

JonboyE

If i were a total cynic I would think that reduced class sizes means more teachers employed, which means more union dues ...

I am not that bad. Yet.

JonboyE

Because when it is politically expedient to do so the government will legislate them back to work on an inferior contract to what could have been achieved by negotiation.

rivingtonpike

00-MR-Updated Consolidated Q and A May 27 2014 – Copy
Cowichan Valley School District 79 » Information on Teachers Strike/Lockout

No idea if either of these links will work but they are essentially the sysnopsis

Oink

The BCTF is broke and can't afford strike pay anymore and it'll amount to thousands out of teachers pockets, not least they'll loose their end of year signing bonuses. The position is so week yet they've acted like they're 1960s TUC. The issue is that the public sees teachers as privileged professionals. In the battle for hearts and minds, they won't win.

Alan2005

I was wondering if the bctf was hoping they'd do that earlier and the gov called their bluff. Admittedly that's 'tales from my arse'