mr.x
April 26th, 2007, 02:24 AM
BCTF facing strike action Thursday from office workers
Strike by members of CEP would not affect city schools
Janet Steffenhagen, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The B.C. Teachers' Federation is talking strike once again -- but this time, the union itself could be behind a picket line.
Its employees have warned they will walk out Thursday if they don't have a new contract.
While a strike would have no effect on schools, it could be a public relations disaster for the BCTF, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year and recently distributed a glossy magazine to members commemorating its own strike in 2005.
"It's a very good example of irony," noted Anita Chapman, a former English teacher who heads the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) local that represents the 39 BCTF employees.
The magazine describes the 2005 strike -- which closed schools for 10 days as part of an illegal job action -- as "one of the most significant strikes in the province's history" and praises it for spurring the Liberal government to reverse its approach to public-sector bargaining.
But not everyone is pleased with the commemoration.
Teacher criticism of the magazine's $40,000 cost forced BCTF president Jinny Sims to send an e-mail to locals this month explaining why the cost was double what had been expected and why the executive thought the publication was important.
"We should feel collective pride in standing up to the Campbell government and forcing major changes in their attitudes towards teacher and public-sector bargaining," she says in the e-mail, a copy of which was leaked to The Vancouver Sun.
"We can and will learn from the member response to the publication . . . but that should not take anything away from what we were able to accomplish together."
At the same time, the BCTF is being castigated by its employees, who are accusing the federation of stripping their contract and demanding concessions -- precisely what the BCTF has accused the Liberal government of doing.
If the CEP goes on strike, the BCTF may have to postpone -- yet again -- its annual general meeting, now scheduled for May 4-6, because members would be unlikely to cross picket lines to attend. The meeting is usually held during March spring break and attracts more than 700 delegates. It was postponed at that time because of potential strike action.
These events mark a turn of fortune for Sims, who is stepping down in June after three years as the union's high-profile president. Even during the tumult of an illegal strike, she appeared in control and without challengers.
Sims had little to say Tuesday about the possibility of pickets this week, except that talks were continuing and she still hoped a deal could be reached without a strike. She refused to discuss the issues in dispute, but rejected the accusation of contract-stripping, saying only government has the power to do that. A BCTF report on bargaining, leaked to The Sun, notes pressure from members to contain staff costs and reduce the salary differentials between BCTF staff and teachers.
jsteffenhagen@png.canwest.com
Strike by members of CEP would not affect city schools
Janet Steffenhagen, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The B.C. Teachers' Federation is talking strike once again -- but this time, the union itself could be behind a picket line.
Its employees have warned they will walk out Thursday if they don't have a new contract.
While a strike would have no effect on schools, it could be a public relations disaster for the BCTF, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year and recently distributed a glossy magazine to members commemorating its own strike in 2005.
"It's a very good example of irony," noted Anita Chapman, a former English teacher who heads the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) local that represents the 39 BCTF employees.
The magazine describes the 2005 strike -- which closed schools for 10 days as part of an illegal job action -- as "one of the most significant strikes in the province's history" and praises it for spurring the Liberal government to reverse its approach to public-sector bargaining.
But not everyone is pleased with the commemoration.
Teacher criticism of the magazine's $40,000 cost forced BCTF president Jinny Sims to send an e-mail to locals this month explaining why the cost was double what had been expected and why the executive thought the publication was important.
"We should feel collective pride in standing up to the Campbell government and forcing major changes in their attitudes towards teacher and public-sector bargaining," she says in the e-mail, a copy of which was leaked to The Vancouver Sun.
"We can and will learn from the member response to the publication . . . but that should not take anything away from what we were able to accomplish together."
At the same time, the BCTF is being castigated by its employees, who are accusing the federation of stripping their contract and demanding concessions -- precisely what the BCTF has accused the Liberal government of doing.
If the CEP goes on strike, the BCTF may have to postpone -- yet again -- its annual general meeting, now scheduled for May 4-6, because members would be unlikely to cross picket lines to attend. The meeting is usually held during March spring break and attracts more than 700 delegates. It was postponed at that time because of potential strike action.
These events mark a turn of fortune for Sims, who is stepping down in June after three years as the union's high-profile president. Even during the tumult of an illegal strike, she appeared in control and without challengers.
Sims had little to say Tuesday about the possibility of pickets this week, except that talks were continuing and she still hoped a deal could be reached without a strike. She refused to discuss the issues in dispute, but rejected the accusation of contract-stripping, saying only government has the power to do that. A BCTF report on bargaining, leaked to The Sun, notes pressure from members to contain staff costs and reduce the salary differentials between BCTF staff and teachers.
jsteffenhagen@png.canwest.com