BC has worst student-educator ratio in the country (Stats Canada)

1. GOVERNMENT’S 10-YEAR BARGAINING FRAMEWORK PROPOSALIs it a good deal for teachers and public education?

2. Stats and facts: • BC has worst student-educator ratio in the country (Stats Canada) • To bring teacher staffing levels to national average, an astounding 6600 teachers needed! • Past 12 years of underfunding has taken a toll • Per student funding in BC is $1000 below national average. Surrey would receive an additional $70,000,000 per year. BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper —Framework For 10-Year Agreement

3. It is time… • for government to reinvest in teachers and public education for the social and economic well-being of our province. • for government to refrain from interfering in bargaining and to provide BCPSEA with resources to obtain a negotiated settlement. BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper —Framework For 10-Year Agreement

4. Current context Bargaining table • bargaining objectives set provincially and locally • Agreement in Committee “AIC” • at table since early February • local bargaining occurring around the province • Provincial bargaining continues Outside of bargaining • Clark announced 10 year scheme • Liberals re-elected to a majority government • government alters BCPSEA’s bargaining objectives midstream • New cabinet • Summer session of legislature called BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper —Framework For 10-Year Agreement

5. “AIC” between BCTF and BCPSEA • Moved some items to local tables, like post and fill and transfer • Agreed to work with a facilitator, Mark Brown • Agreed to a process for costing proposals • Agreed not to publish bargaining proposals publicly and restrict media coverage of bargaining • If no agreement by expiration of agreement (June 30), facilitator will issue a report with overview and recommendations BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper —Framework For 10-Year Agreement

6. What are they proposing? … BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper—Framework For 10-Year Agreement They say: A 10 year contract What it means: 10 years of silence from teachers A frozen collective agreement No opportunity to improve salary, benefits, prep time, or any other conditions of work No opportunity to respond to change

7. What are they proposing? • They say: • Teachers will be given a seat on the Education Policy Council (EPC) - representatives from government, the BCTF and boards of education trustees to advise government on public education policy priorities, including allocation of the PEIF • What it means: • A committee to provide advice on policy and spending • Merely an advisory committee, not binding • Items like class size and composition will not be part of collective bargaining process; they are seen as policy matters instead, despite supreme court ruling BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper —Framework For 10-Year Agreement

8. What are they proposing? BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper—Framework For 10-Year Agreement They say: • We will create a government fund (“PEIF”) to address “education priorities” • Yr 1 $0, Yr 2 $0, Yr 3 $100 million, Yrs 4-10 TBD What it means: • Removes class size, composition and ratios as a collective bargaining matter • No guarantee of funding from year to year • Similar to Learning Improvement Fund • Spending priorities set by government with advice from ‘Education Policy Council’ • Won’t resolve current underfunding of public schools, loss of $275 million per year for last decade

9. What are they proposing? • They want: • A new bargaining process and dispute resolution mechanism • What it means: • Very limited bargaining, once per decade • Mandatory conciliation with government appointed “mediator” • Legislation to remove full right to strike and replace it with a restrictive all-or-nothing strike option • Strike votes in the summer • Will lead to more conflict, not less BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper —Framework For 10-Year Agreement

10. What are they proposing? • They want: • Indexing of teachers’ compensation to an average of other major public sector increases • What it means: • Teachers prohibited from bargaining their own salaries • Compensation determined by government based on AVERAGE of SELECT public sector unions • Average of zero is zero • Contracts may be imposed on other public sector unions under restrictive mandates • Doesn’t permit BC teachers to catch up to teachers in other provinces in Canada BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper —Framework For 10-Year Agreement

11. “A bold, respectful & responsible solution”? The premier’s plan is another effort to severely limit teachers’ constitutional right to bargain and to intrude into the negotiation process yet again. A negotiated outcome can only be reached through a fair process with sufficient resources at the bargaining table. Labour peace is achieved through genuine collective bargaining, not imposed legislation. BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper —Framework For 10-Year Agreement

12. What should our next steps be? BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper—Framework For 10-Year Agreement What types of decisions should the Federation make before the end of June? 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 the Liberals have, given the nature of the White Paper? How will such decisions be communicated to members before the start of school in September?

13. Upcoming meetings • BCTF Presidents’ meeting scheduled for June 24 • BCTF Executive meeting scheduled for June 25 • Emergency Rep Assembly may be called in August if needed BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper —Framework For 10-Year Agreement

14. BC Teachers' Federation: Overview of Government White Paper—Framework For 10-Year Agreement Questions? Comments? For more information, visit the BCTF member portal: https://www.bctf.ca/myBCTF/content.aspx?id=23112