Support our Teachers Demo @ UBC!

Support our Teachers Demo @ UBC!
Attention UBC Faculty, Staff, Students.
A support demo is being organized for Thursday, October 13, at 9:00 am on the ‘grassy knoll just to the east of the Asian Centre and immediately below the Music Building (West Mall and Memorial Road).

This is a Vancouver School Site (The University Transition Program) and has an active picket line.

Click here for map.

Pass the word!

David Thompson Parent Advisory Committee

Parents at Vancouver school, David Thompson Secondary, support teachers in the current struggle. PAC Chair, Cheryl Davies calls upon other PACs to make their voices heard too!Dear Minister Bond:

On behalf of the parents of David Thompson Secondary School in Vancouver, we would like to express our strong support for a negotiated settlement between the provincial government and the BCTF.

We understand that the provincial government has undertaken some steps to resolve the bargaining dispute that would engage the parties in dialogue. We urge you to develop and continue that path, as we believe that imposing settlements and legislation on the teachers of our province has only resulted in the depreciation and dishonoring of our public education system, and all those who contribute to it.

As parents, we are well aware of the significant financial and resource challenges that our teachers, school administrators and school boards face every year and, even more so, the (negative) impact on our children’s educational experiences. With each year, parents are being asked or compelled to contribute more financially, either out-of-pocket or through continuous fund-raising efforts, to make up for the shortfalls in financial support for curricular items or activities. We see our children in large classroom sizes, even where such numbers actually impede learning or even create safety concerns. We note physical deterioration of our school buildings, lack of equipment and books. Mostly, we see teachers who are feeling progressively undervalued, over-worked and underpaid. As our teachers are the backbone of our public education system, we find this situation deplorable.

We are upset that our teachers have been compelled to take illegal labour action in order to bring these issues to the serious attention of the provincial government. Indeed, our teachers have taken this action with full knowledge that there will be financial consequences to themselves both personally and at the union level. We respect and appreciate their honest and valiant efforts to voice and educate everyone about the important issues that are affecting our children’s education and their futures.

Please know that we stand behind our teachers and demand that the provincial government engage in a meaningful and productive dialogue with them to find a respectful and fair resolution to this bargaining dispute.

We will be paying close attention to the actions of government, and expect a just and expedient conclusion so that our children can resume their important educational process.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

David Thompson Parent Advisory Committee

Thousands rally in support of teachers

Thousands rally in support of teachers in Vancouver and across the province. In Prince George teachers and parents joined forces to protest Minister Bond’s inactivity outside her constituency office. Here in Vancouver thousands gathered at Canada Place to listen to Jinny Sims and other Labour Leaders speak.

From our vantage point near the entrance to the Pan Pacific Hotel it wasn’t possible to see the speakers themselves through the large crowd. However, we could hear very clearly the passion, dedication, and commitment of Jinny Sims as she addressed the many people gathered in support of teachers.

Just in the small area around us I estimated that there were several hundred people. Why hard to guess from my particular vantage point I would hazard that somewhere between 4 and 5 thousand people were crowded into the plaza in front of Canada Place.

See also: Where the Blog has No Name. . . .

UBC Faculty Association Executive Motion in Support of Teachers!

The following motion was passed unanimously at a meeting of the Faculty Association’s Executive Committee on Thursday 6 October 2005 and was sent to Premier Gordon Campbell, Minister Shirley Bond, Minister Mike DeJong and BCTF President Jinny Sims:

Be it resolved that the UBC Faculty Association communicates its support of British Columbia’s public school teachers who are on the eve of a full scale strike action to defend their rights to free, fair and democratic collective bargaining.

Be it further resolved that the Faculty Association calls upon the
Provincial Government to immediately withdraw Bill 12 and enter into direct negotiations with the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation.

Elliott Burnell on behalf of the Faculty Association Executive
[From email sent to membership. If you wish to express encouragement to the faculty Association for it’s stance email faculty@interchange.ubc.ca ]

The Western Regional of Conference of Faculty Associations has also passed a motion in support of teachers Oct. 14, 2005 2005 Western Regional of Conference of Faculty Associations
Empress Hotel
Victoria, BC

October 14, 2005

Honourable Gordon Campbell
Premier, Province of British Columbia
Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC V8V 1X4

Via FAX Transmission – 1 Page – (250) 387-0087

Dear Premier Campbell,

I write to you on behalf of the delegates from 16 university faculty associations from across Western Canada who are meeting this weekend in Victoria at their annual conference. These delegates were dismayed to learn upon their arrival that your government and its agents have taken actions to restrict the bargaining rights of BC’s public school teachers and cut off their access to legitimate job action and public protest.

In response the delegates adopted the following resolution and asked that I convey it to you:

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the delegates to the 2005 Western Regional Conference of Faculty Associations express their support for and solidarity with the members of the BC Teachers’ Federation in their attempt to improve learning conditions for their students, to achieve a fair compensation package, and to regain free collective bargaining, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the delegates to the 2005 Western Regional Conference of Faculty Associations express to the Government of British Columbia their profound disappointment at the removal of collective bargaining rights from BC public school teachers, and the actions of the Government of British Columbia and its agents to constrain the legitimate political protest by public school teachers
against an unjust law.

Sincerely,

William Pfaffenberger, PhD
Chair
2005 Western Regional Conference of Faculty Associations

c: Mike De Jong, Minister of Labour and Citizens’ Services
Shirley Bond, Minster of Education
Jinny Sims, President, BC Teachers’ Federation