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