School Visits Re 10-Yr Barg Framework Proposal (1)

7/28/2019 School Visits Re 10-Yr Barg Framework Proposal (1)

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OVERVIEW

OF

GOVERNMENTS 10-YEAR BARGAINING

FRAMEWORK PROPOSAL:

A FRAMEWORK FOR LONG TERM STABILITY INEDUCATION

1


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A BOLD, RESPECTFUL &

RESPONSIBLE SOLUTION

2

In governments words


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A BOLD, RESPECTFUL & RESPONSIBLE SOLUTION

BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White PaperFramework For 10-Year Agreement 3

Framework based on four key elements:

A dedicated Priority Education Investment Fund (PEIF) to

address education priorities;

A new Education Policy Council (EPC) of representativesfrom government, the BCTF and boards of education

trustees to advise government on public education policy

priorities, including allocation of the PEIF;

Indexing of teachers compensation to an average ofother major public sector increases; and

A new structured and transparent bargaining process.

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Two aspects to governments proposal:


1. 10-year agreement to:

Take class size and composition off the

bargaining table and assign it to the education

policy council

Take salary and benefit improvements off the

bargaining table in favour of a government

indexing formula

2. Legislation to remove full right to strike andreplace it with a restrictive all-or-nothing strike

option


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A BOLD, RESPECTFUL & RESPONSIBLE

SOLUTION


The first 3 elementsdedicated funding, the Education

Policy Council, and compensation indexing -are contingent

on achieving a 10-year labour agreement. The fourth

element, a structured and transparent bargaining process, isrecognition that issues in the current process need to be

resolved to help achieve that agreement. Irrespective of

whether the parties are successful in negotiating a 10 year

agreement, government will work with stakeholders toimplement the changes necessary to improve the bargaining

process and structures as outlined in this framework.

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DEDICATED FUNDINGfor

EDUCATION PRIORITIES



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DEDICATED FUNDING FOR EDUCATION

PRIORITIES


Under the new teacher collective bargaining framework,

government would now also create a new Priority Education

Investment Fund. This fund will be a three-year education

spending envelope identified each year by governmentconsistent with its fiscal plan. The basis for determining this

funding amount is yet to be determined, but it could be tied

in some manner to factors such as the Province's economic

performance and education enrollment.

Year 1: $0

Year 2: $0

Year 3: $100 million

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EDUCATION POLICY COUNCIL



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EDUCATION POLICY COUNCIL


However, arguably one of the most significant barriers in

the current bargaining model is the tendency for

educational funding and policy matters to become majortopics of negotiations, which distracts the parties from

serious bargaining of working conditions and terms of

employment.

The policy matters that the government claimsdistract us from serious bargaining include class sizeand composition and staffing ratios for specialistteachers.

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INDEXING COMPENSATION



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HOW itWILL WORK

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The legislated gutting of our bargaining rights:


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HOW itWILL WORK


In a typical bargaining year, this process would begin in

January and also incorporate mandatory conciliation

distinct from a voluntary mediation processto help theparties reach agreement before the start of the school year.

A typical bargaining year would occur every

10 years.

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NEGOTIATION, MEDIATION


Negotiations on provincial matters would begin as contemplated under the

Labour Code.

Local school districts and local teachers associations would begin negotiations

at the same time on local matters.

On June 15, if an agreement has not been reached the Minister of Labour willappoint a special mediator to work with the parties.

If an agreement has not been reached by June 30, the mediator will report

out publicly on the issues in dispute and the cost implications of each of the

parties' positions.

If there is no agreement by July 15, the mediator wiII issue recommendations

for settlement.

Teachers would be expected to approve or rejectrecommendations for settlement in the summer.

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NEGOTIATION, MEDIATION


If neither party rejects the mediator's recommendations in July, they

become the basis for the new collective agreement.

If government rejects the mediator's recommendations, it must provide an

alternative offer for settlement in August.

If the BCTF rejects the mediator's recommendations or government's

alternative offer, they must issue strike notice by August 31. If they do not,

then the mediator's recommendations or government's alternative offer will

be deemed to be accepted and form the new collective agreement.

Schools will not open at the start of the school year if strike notice is issued,

unless the BCTF agrees not to disrupt school operations until a settlement is

reached.

Strike votes would have to occur in the summer, and workto rule, instruction only or rotating strikes would not beallowed.

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WHATS WRONG WITH THE

GOVERNMENTS PROPOSAL FOR A

SO-CALLED 10-YEAR DEAL?



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WHATS WRONG WITH THE GOVERNMENTS

PROPOSAL FOR A SO-CALLED 10-YEAR DEAL?


The Education Policy Councilwhich willinclude representatives of government,trustees and teachersis not a decision-making body, but merely advisory togovernment. It is at this table that criticalissues such as educational change, fundingallocations, class size and composition,support for special needs students, and

educational policy matters would bediscussed.


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The framework would require teachers torelinquish our newly regained right tobargain class size, composition and staffingissues, support for special needs studentsand resources for classrooms. Class size andcomposition limits, and funds for improvingthem, would be determined unilaterally bygovernment.


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The framework proposal would freeze ourcollective agreements for a decade. Therewould be no improvements in benefits,preparation time or any other terms orconditions of work during the 10-year term.


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There would be no opportunity to addressemergent issues in technology, the economy,or labour markets during the 10-year term.

The economic welfare of our members wouldbe in the hands of other unions andgovernment, and there would never be anyopportunity to improve our salaries withrespect to those of other workers in BC, orcolleagues in other provinces.


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Strikes would be limited to complete withdrawals ofservices with no provision for work-to-rule,instruction only, rotating withdrawals, or any otheroption short of a full and sustained provincialwithdrawal of services.

Negotiations would be restricted to a few months inthe spring, with no opportunity to continuenegotiations beyond the end of the collectiveagreement unless teachers engage in a strike.

Strike votes could only be taken in the summerwhen many teachers would be unable to participatein meetings and votesand strikes would have tocommence in September.


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GOVERNMENTS 10-YEAR BARGAINING

FRAMEWORK PROPOSAL:


THREE QUESTIONS FOR MEMBERS AND FORPRESIDENTS TO REPORT BACK ON:

1. What types of decisions should the Federation make before the end

of June? (and what should members be aware of before they go off

for vacation)?

2. What can we predict will be the decisions the Federation will have

to make in August (at either the EC or a special RA at Summer

Conference)given that we don't know the nature of probable

legislation, but we can speculate on the range of options theLiberals have, given the nature of the White Paper?

3. How will such decisions be communicated to members before the

start of school in September?


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BC T h ' F d ti O i f G t Whit P F k F 10 Y A t 25

Questions?

Comments?

For more information, visit the BCTFmember portal:

https://www.bctf.ca/myBCTF/content.aspx?id=23112

OVERVIEW OF GOVERNMENTS 10-YEAR

BARGAINING FRAMEWORK PROPOSAL
https://www.bctf.ca/myBCTF/content.aspx?id=23112https://www.bctf.ca/myBCTF/content.aspx?id=23112

Documents

School Visits Re 10-Yr Barg Framework Proposal (1)