Teacher bargaining

[Logun]

No kidding, 50+ years ago there were split classes. We all received an education and went on with our lives. Makes one think the teachers were just more proficient at their task. Large classes of 40 and over, problem kids included. I wonder how they managed.

So just to be clear - you are making a direct comparison between today's society and time in before anyone had even landed on the moon??

You do realize the advances society has made in the last 50 years don't you? Like that computer that you're working on right now..? The advances in medicine, science is not just at the scholar level.

I guess the best way I can put this is that there is now ONE ENTIRE PLANET less in our solar system than the time in life when you are saying teachers should be doing things exactly the same as...

[Silverstarqueen]

="mrs.bandaid"quote="Logun"

Because providing a fact based counter point is too much for you to handle?/quote
This person does not want facts. The fact is, surpluses keep taxes down. If you have a problem with putting money in the bank you can mail your extra to me. Pm me for my address.

"surpluses keep taxes down"....you're kidding right? Surpluses are a result of collecting too many taxes, which then were not used to provide services. Should be completely illegal. Something like they are doing right now with education, provoking a strike, continuing to collect taxes, but not opening schools. Great way to fatten your "surplus". Or maybe it's like "surplus" teachers, where you keep a nice pool of teachers on call to draw on when you please, part time or temporary, but you never have to hire them properly, until you have 20% or so of your teachers on a string that you can hand out pink slips for if you like.

[Logun]

You know what else keeps taxes down? An educated society. Did you know that higher education levels also mean less crime? Less crime less spending on policing.
and less taxes.

And here we go again with the whole "our education system is in peril if the BCTF doesn't get what they want..."
They're exaggeration knows no bounds !

What you've posted is the literal definition of hypocrisy. There is no where in my statement where I say anything akin to the current state of our education system. My post says there is a correlation between higher education and a reduction in crime, citing a report to back it up with.

[Fancy]

Just seems you feel BC education isn't doing that well.

[dudevondudenstien]

What do you do with an old car that is constantly breaking down and getting towed to the shop for repairs? Keep throwing money into repairs or replace it with one that has a history or being reliable? I say it's time for a new car! Take it however you want but keep in mind there are only a few of the government models to choose from and they all kind of suck. We do however have many union and education models to choose from and some of them don't suck.

[parent123]

[
"surpluses keep taxes down"....you're kidding right? Surpluses are a result of collecting too many taxes, which then were not used to provide services. Should be completely illegal.

Ok... so how do you propose we EVER pay down our debt if we have no surpluses ?

http://www.debtclock.ca/provincial-debt ... -columbia/

If I owe $5000 on my visa card, and I budget to spend $1000 on home repairs, and end up only needing $100, what should I do with the extra $900? pay down my visa? or put it into renos anyway, because that's what was budgeted?

[Logun]

Just seems you feel BC education isn't doing that well.

No, to be honest I feel that the current situation is in fine shape today. That being said there are a few critical issues which I feel should be addressed.

1) The teachers need to provide their employers a better way to deal with under performers (teachers)
2) The government needs to come up with a better way of handling the whole Fire 30% of the work force each year and spend a couple months rehiring as needed. We can argue job supply and demand and you'd be right 90% of the time, but that 10% I feel can grow very bad very quickly in the form of losing out on top talent because they are smart enough to avoid a situation where the employer treats it's employees as numbers only.

Aswell - I hate almost *ALL* of the comparisons I've seen thus far:
1) Teachers are not like other PS unions and I hate how everyone believed they NEED to be interconnected. Yes I understand with the history now it's too hard to get away from, but I still hate it.
2) Teachers need to stop comparing themselves directly to other provinces. You know that national average you say you're under - well guess what if you get a raise that average goes up.... sooo...???

I feel teachers are fairly compensated today - but should still be getting COLA for the next few years. I think that is a fair return on the last contract of 4 years of 0

Finally I like whomever suggested the trustees take over CSC with direct input from administration and teachers. Seems like a reasonable step.
Edit> it was Hassel99 with that idea

[Urbane]

NDP'er David Schreck this evening on Twitter:

David Schreck @StrategicThghts · 12m
Are tonight's negotiations about internal #bctf politics & control or about what's best 4 teachers & students? Bet on internal poli #bced

David Schreck @StrategicThghts · 13m
2/2 Will tchs continue 2 let minority control union or demand 1-mem-1-vote elxn 4 pres & new AGM delegates or will this cycle repeat?

David Schreck @StrategicThghts · 14m
Time 2 place bets; I say #bctf Iker won't settle, better 2 attack gov 4 legislating back2work & run 4 re-elxn on that 1/2

I agree with all of the above and remember that David Schreck is an NDP'er. He does not like the current government but he certainly calls a spade a spade when it comes to the BCTF. I'm sure hoping that we get a negotiated settlement but as Schreck points out the BCTF may find it more beneficial, for the sake of BCTF internal politics, to force the government to legislate a settlement. But how will the public react when they find out that this whole dispute can't be resolved because of wage and benefit issues? Particularly after being told for all those weeks that the two sides were close together on wages.

[Urbane]

More from Keith Baldrey on Twitter this evening:

Keith Baldrey @keithbaldrey · 4m
It's crunch time. Unless the BCTF bends on wages/benefits its members will be crunched. Sorry. Not fair but reality. #bced #bcpoli

Keith Baldrey @keithbaldrey · 8m
The BCTF has to be careful about rejecting an offer that boosts classroom funding BUT not their benefits. #bced #bcpoli

Good advice from Keith Baldrey but will the BCTF do the smart thing?

[hemdazon]

I agree with all of the above and remember that David Schreck is an NDP'er. He does not like the current government but he certainly calls a spade a spade when it comes to the BCTF. I'm sure hoping that we get a negotiated settlement but as Schreck points out the BCTF may find it more beneficial, for the sake of BCTF internal politics, to force the government to legislate a settlement. But how will the public react when they find out that this whole dispute can't be resolved because of wage and benefit issues? Particularly after being told for all those weeks that the two sides were close together on wages.

There will be a lot of mad British Colombians if it comes out they couldn't settle due to wages/benefits; myself included.

[erinmore3775]

My deal: govt puts $20-$40 million into fund for class size/comp. + $150 million into grievance fund to be run by BCTF. 6% wage hike. #bced9:32pm - 15 Sep 14

Baldrey tweeted the above.

This plus a modest wage increase might get the schools open.

[erinmore3775]

According to Baldrey and other reporters the Government has just put forward another proposal and BCTF is about to make a counter offer. This looks hopeful.

[chicklo]

To put this into context now - I've just been told that my son will be in a 1-2 split next year. In fact all grade 2's (4 classes) are split due to the number of excess and extreme behavioural children in grade 2. They cannot put any of them together in the same class.

This is directly due to the way the government currently (and illegally) handles CSC.

Sorry if I'm misreading this but your saying the kids will be separated so there are NOT to many SN kids in a class and this is bad and the govts fault? What would be different under the "old" language that was taken away? And how would it be better?

[KGT]

According to Baldrey and other reporters the Government has just put forward another proposal and BCTF is about to make a counter offer. This looks hopeful.

Is that happening right now? I'm not seeing tweets. Baldrey did say that ready is leaving tomorrow. Must get deal tonight or wait a week. :(

[maryjane48]

If I owe $5000 on my visa card, and I budget to spend $1000 on home repairs, and end up only needing $100, what should I do with the extra $900? pay down my visa? or put it into renos anyway, because that's what was budgeted?

put it up your ? lol who cares , if there is no schoolie why should any taxpayer be paying taxes for schools? christy is ripping people off