Teachers were back on picket lines Monday as the countdown to the new school year is now days away.
The BC Public School Employers’ Association has locked out teachers since late June, and even if a bargaining miracle were to happen, it’s likely Richmond schools will not be prepared to jump right into curriculum during the first week, according to Al Klassen, president of the Richmond Teachers’ Association.
“There’s lots of stuff that happens in the last week before school starts and that’s not happening. There will need to be sufficient time for the schools to get prepared,” said Klassen, noting many teachers use the last week of summer to prepare classrooms and counselors are already at work, preparing course schedules.
On Monday Richmond’s school superintendent Monica Pamer echoed those concerns in a letter to parents.
Should there be a settlement, Pamer said a Tuesday opening “may not be as smooth as our typical one, due to the need to organize for classes.”
She noted if picket lines remain up, schools will be closed and parents will be asked to make other arrangements for the care of their children.
Despite being relatively close on the issue of wages, Education Minister Peter Fassbender and B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Jim Iker have both recently made comments to media alluding to each side being far apart in negotiations.
Klassen noted teachers have lowered their demands for wages to nominal increases over six years and both sides are within one per cent.
“In six years’ time, we will be among the lowest paid teachers in the country with one of the highest costs of living,” said Klassen.
He said the sticks in the mud remain class size and composition; teachers are asking the government to lower the amount of children in each class and provide more funding for special needs students.
“We want more money in the system so teaching and learning in those areas happen,” he said.
Muddying these issues is an ongoing second appeal by the government against a B.C. Supreme Court ruling that found the government unconstitutionally nullified contracts in 2002.
Klassen said while he didn’t foresee the lockout lasting until September, he is not surprised it has come to this.
“The belief has been that government — because of economic or ideological reasons, whatever they may be — wants to have education pared down,” he said.
Klassen noted unionized teachers are not allowed to engage in any side work related to education.
“Teachers will be advised not to engage in tutoring services or work for tutoring services,” he said.
Meanwhile the City of Richmond announced a number of limited day camp spaces, for kids age six to 12, at various community centres starting Tuesday.Visit www.richmond.ca/register for more information.
