Solidarity Forever!

[Hands of Stone]

Why are we even listening to Captain SCABrock.

I am more than ready to take the day off work on Friday for the Teachers cause, which in turn effects every working person in this Province and every student in this Province.
No government should legislate contracts on the workers of this Province. Let the contracts be settled at the table.

Ready to GO

hos

 

[Reccos]

The tragedy in all this was summed up some posts back by Aves. Teachers salaries will be used to fund the changes that will come when this mess gets settled.

To me the use of the strike where you can't shut down the employer is dumb. If he is in a hot market and needs the workers, then strike. But if it is a public sector situation, the strike just leads to the employers saving striking people's pay cheques.

I find the leadership of the teachers union are at fault in letting this go to strike as it can't be won if teachers factor their lost pay cheques into the ultimate settlement. Of course, people give the union the strike vote to give them some power at the negotiating table. The problem of course is when the leaders use it and the teachers lose their cheques which to me is astounding.

I recall years ago when it looked like the municipal workers at the municipality I worked for were going to strike. The council and senior staff started dreaming up where up to 6 weeks worth of the strikers' wages could go to projects. In fact, some council members were miffed that they didn't end up striking as they now saw a huge savings for projects coming...lol. The key to those strikes in those days were the garbage workers and now most aren't municipal so that part of a strike is gone in the way of power to settle.

I feel for those who are giving up their pay for a cause they believe in but I also respect those who say this is not the way to go and have gone to work to save their incomes and meet what to them are their commitments. In a strike like this, there is is no black and white when it comes to who is right.

I still say the only way to affect change with gov't in our democracy is the ballot box and teachers salaries might have been better used to elect teacher/education focused candidates.

I don't know about Surrey but I do know firefighters unions and othere unions endorse local candidates in municipal elections, maybe more focus on the provincial scene is needed and less costly.

 

[willis316]

CUPE Rallies tommorow for those interested
1:00 Cloverdale Stetson Bowl
10:00 PNE
Supposed to be family oriented with activities for kids.

 

[Scoop Dawg]

actually shamrock I play div 1. so I have no idea who you are talking about. However I do like spiders so maybe I will drop by. I don't actual work for a union I go to college and work in a non-unionized job.

Clown college?

 

[bulljive]

Is that honestly the best you can come up with 24 hours later. yes I go to clown college you got me.

 

[Scoop Dawg]

Is that honestly the best you can come up with 24 hours later. yes I go to clown college you got me.

This coming from a man that thinks Manual Labour is the president of Mexico!

 

[Aves]

Really, the public didn't pay attention to the teacher's complaints for so many years. The class size issues have been stated for ever as have the special needs issues. Nobody listened. The government took advantage of the public's slumber. Geez, even the teachers themselves became docile and complacent regarding their own issues. They just did more for less, like everyone else. .

Ultimately this is why the strike is/was doomed to run out of steam. The main issue for me is our bargaining rights being taken away by shady legislation and I enjoyed seeing the gov't exposed as self serving and hippocritical law-breakers.
BUT, as the principal defenders of the public school system and fighting for quality funding, we were/are being asked to sacrifice too much for everyone else's kids. Why should we sacrifice so much of our family income to fight for other's interest? While a noble act indeed, this fight is hard to justify over the long haul.
Again, it is/was good to see others+unions supporting us and our sacrifices(especially tough on cupe) but we cannot continue to take it on the chin for the 600,000 kids in this province.
Bill 12 is still a transparently cowardly bill though and I would still consider the fight based on this unjust law (the "law-breaker" stonewalling is a frustratingly convenient out for the gov't)...but the cornerstone of our bargaining demands is to push for improvements in funding and class size ratios etc - something I feel is important, but it is really up to the parents and the public to care more about it and show the political will to help make changes.
In this regard I think it could be considered a success.

Any one want to buy me a pint for my sacrifice?

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Why are we even listening to Captain SCABrock.

I am more than ready to take the day off work on Friday for the Teachers cause, which in turn effects every working person in this Province and every student in this Province.
No government should legislate contracts on the workers of this Province. Let the contracts be settled at the table.

Ready to GO

hos

HOS,

Good to see your degree going to good use. Captain SCABrock was fantastic. Now, whose job did I take when I went in to school? GTF, cnut. Learn before you type. I guess I can't expect more from an SFU grad, a goalie, and who is a part-time supporter of Rangers.

 

[Captain Shamrock]

I find the leadership of the teachers union are at fault in letting this go to strike as it can't be won if teachers factor their lost pay cheques into the ultimate settlement. Of course, people give the union the strike vote to give them some power at the negotiating table. The problem of course is when the leaders use it and the teachers lose their cheques which to me is astounding.

Spot fcuking on! Although, the government certainly has not helped the bargaining process.........TWO groups at fault and two different groups starting to say that the other side has 'given in'. It was two weeks where kids/parents had major inconveniences and teachers lost a lot of money, which ironically goes into the 'kitty' to support one point in the 4 point plan...........


Let's hope for this vote tomorrow or Saturday and get back where we should have been all along, in the classroom with kids.

 

[Hands of Stone]

Good to see your degree going to good use. Captain SCABrock was fantastic. Now, whose job did I take when I went in to school? GTF, cnut. Learn before you type. I guess I can't expect more from an SFU grad, a goalie, and who is a part-time supporter of Rangers.

My education level has nothing to do with what I want to do for a job, or how I feel about the Labour Movement. You crossed a sacred line put up by your fellow teachers that are hoping for better conditions for both the students and teachers, no matter how you feel about a "Strike" you should still not cross that line, and if you do, you are a SCAB, and you should be called one. I will walk off the job in the morning in support of all the teachers in this Province in what I feel was an unjust negotiation, God knows they have done it before and will try to do it again. I only hope that a guy like you, an UBC Grad, a ref , and full-time Celtic support, would stay home and just let the teachers that have some balls walk the line.

CJ

 

[coach]

In other words Cappy!

Respect your fellow union workers and don't cross that line on monday!

What's it going to be Captain?

a)disagree with the walk out and keep your distance.

b)disagree with the walk out and cross that line.

c)join Dudes cult and go around preaching free labour and to hell with the Old School.

d)Throw Will Azzi out of office monday morning and start a whole new career?

What will it be?

 

[Keeper]

I guess I can't expect more from an SFU grad, a goalie, and who is a part-time supporter of Rangers.

Why are you talking to me?

 

[Captain Shamrock]

and just let the teachers that have some balls walk the line.

You've officially made an ass of yourself AGAIN. You figure it takes balls to stand on a picket line? Why does one need balls to do that? Hang a sign over your shoulder and walk back and forth, waving. Yes, big balls for that.

I know glue sniffing 101 was one of your favorite courses but for fcuk sake, try and UNDERSTAND this. I BELIEVE THAT TEACHERS SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO STRIKE. How many fcuking times does that thick heed of yours need to be told? On that note, quite while your behind, sfb.


Thanks in advance.

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Respect your fellow union workers and don't cross that line on monday!

Well, here is a news flash for you, Coach.


I didn't go to school yesterday or today because I had finished ALL the possible work I could do on Monday and Tuesday. Because I don't want to cross the line JUST to get paid, I didn't go in yesterday and today, choosing to TEACH(like we should have been doing all along) my children about spiders and going on a little field trip. I am finished going in to the school because I don't have any other work I can do there. It would be unfair for me to go to school and do NOTHING, something that HOS is used to doing everyday in his life. The union protects guys like him. That's why he still has a job. Of course, this doesn't apply to the majority of the people who work in unions, just the minority, like HOS, who are just fcuking stupid.

So, to answer your question about this Monday, I assume? I will be at home teaching my own kids OR teaching the kids at South Delta. Hopefully that answers your question, Coach, because Lord only knows how I have to explain my decision to morons like HOS.

 

[Hands of Stone]

I just hope that you are able to stand up in front of your class or walk into your staff room after all is said and done, and tell all at your school the same thing.

"I didn't cross the line because I hate you people, I just don't believe in standing up to a Government that is trying to fukc eveyone over, and would rather cross a picket line and go play 3 point bump with myself, because thats all I will ever do at school agian."

Hail Hail

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Good thing you edited the post otherwise it might have been useless again.

"I didn't cross the line because I hate you people, I just don't believe in standing up to a Government that is trying to fukc eveyone over, and would rather cross a picket line and go play 3 point bump with myself, because thats all I will ever do at school agian."

Extreme 3 point bump was so two years ago.


What I will be able to say is very simple. Stand up for what you believe in. I don't think teachers should be allowed to strike. Teachers and students should have been in class during this whole time. Can you understand that, thicko? I can't make it any more simple for you, so I will engage in 'dialogue' with you anymore. Go check with your union to make sure it is okay to respond to this.


Back on topic,

One of the recommendations by Mr. Ready was to increase the amount of money for Long Term Disability. We already have TOO many teachers who abuse this and we have experienced it first hand at our school over the last couple of years. That money comes from our pockets and I KNOW there are very few teachers in our school who would go with this recommendation.

I noticed that class-size was barely even touched........I'm guessing most people will be voting No then because this has been the main thing all along, right?

 

[Keeper]

Captain,

Do you know if there's an on-line outline of Ready's recommendations?




Found it: http://www.bctf.ca/FacilitatorsReportVinceReady.pdf

 

[Keeper]

Back on topic,

One of the recommendations by Mr. Ready was to increase the amount of money for Long Term Disability. We already have TOO many teachers who abuse this and we have experienced it first hand at our school over the last couple of years. That money comes from our pockets and I KNOW there are very few teachers in our school who would go with this recommendation.

I can't speak to teachers abusing the system, but Ready's recommendations seem to suggest altering who pays the LTD premiums, rather than how much an individual would receive as a benefit.

BENEFITS

The BCTF is the only major public sector union whose members pay the entire cost of Long Term Disability (“LTD”) coverage. It is a bargaining goal of the BCTF to seek payment by the Employer of the LTD premiums. The Union will have an opportunity to pursue this goal in the upcoming negotiations, and I am not prepared to recommend an ongoing change to the collective agreement at this time. However, in recognition of the unique situation with respect to the payment of LTD premiums, I recommend that Government provide one time funding of $40 million towards the BCTF LTD trust.

I further recommend that the parties conduct a study of benefits (i.e., all non-salary monetary provisions) applicable in each school district, with a view to harmonizing the benefit provisions in the upcoming negotiations. The IIC will assist the parties, and the study will be concluded by February 28, 2006.

I noticed that class-size was barely even touched........I'm guessing most people will be voting No then because this has been the main thing all along, right?

Also, according to his proposal, Ready suggests not only putting an additional $20 million into the education system (that must be directly targetted for reaching the class size goals outlined in the School Act and special needs students), but also ammending the School Act itself to create "effective mechanism for enforcement of the class size limitations set out in the School Act."

CLASS SIZE AND COMPOSITION

Class size is presently based on numbers set out in the School Act, which apparently provides an appropriate district average for class sizes but results in a number of classes in grades four to twelve that are simply too large for effective teaching. Moreover, there are classes where the number and/or nature of special needs students require additional resources and training. These problems have been acknowledged by both parties and by Government. To address these problems, I recommend that Government increase its commitment for learning conditions in this fiscal year from $150 million to $170 million, that the additional money be entirely targeted to issues of class size and special needs students, and that Government consider incorporating the additional money as an increase to the ongoing base.

Government has indicated its concern to have an effective mechanism for enforcement of the class size limitations set out in the School Act. I recommend that the Act be amended to include such a mechanism. As Commissioner, I will discuss this issue with the parties, and recommend an appropriate mechanism for Government’s consideration.

I also recommend that Government consult with the BCTF with respect to potential amendments to the School Act with respect to class size limits for grades four to twelve.

And in a purely selfish manner, I have to appreciate the nod Vince Ready has given to TOCs:

There is an acknowledged labour market issue with respect to TOCs. In recognition of this, I recommend that Government commit to fund $5.2 million towards the placement of TOCs on a uniform daily base rate of $190, and for the placement of TOCs on the provincial salary grid after three continuous days on any assignment. In addition, I recommend that TOCs accumulate seniority while being paid on the provincial salary grid.

 

[Aves]

I didn't go to school yesterday or today because I had finished ALL the possible work I could do on Monday and Tuesday. Because I don't want to cross the line JUST to get paid, I didn't go in yesterday and today, choosing to TEACH(like we should have been doing all along) .

Captain,
you have a right to your stance but if none of us went out then the main educational issues that have been debated and talked about for the last 2 weeks would never have been placed on the front burner...therefore probably not addressed like they hopefully will be. So you did what you thought you had to do but I take issue with you saying we all should have been there with you (teaching the kids)...because if we were then there would not be this focus put on improving the system.

Now it's up to the public to steer debate and help shape policy...teachers have done their fair share.

 

[Luch]

I didn't go to school yesterday or today because I had finished ALL the possible work I could do on Monday and Tuesday. Because I don't want to cross the line JUST to get paid...

Captain,

Let us know if it was worth it because, you did get paid when you crossed the line. I know that you have stated that you couldn't give a toss what your colleagues think of your decision and that you did get some support, however, judging from teachers that I have talked to, not one of them would entertain the thought of "forgive and forget" when this is all over.

Your thoughts?

Off to the line once again....

~Luch