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Teachers to discuss further action

The Editor, As a teacher, I am very concerned that during 62 meetings since last June with the government's bargaining team, BCSPEA, they have offered nothing. The BCTF have dropped many of their demands in good faith.

The Editor,

As a teacher, I am very concerned that during 62 meetings since last June with the government's bargaining team, BCSPEA, they have offered nothing.

The BCTF have dropped many of their demands in good faith.

As teachers, we have spent most of our union dues in the courts fighting this government's class size increases and the increase in special needs student ratios in each classroom.

Special Needs include categories such as ESL, learning disabilities, severe behaviours, physical disabilities, autism and more. Some classrooms now have one in three students requiring special attention while special education teacher and SEA jobs have been cut.

Yet BCSPEA is demanding the following conditions:

Administrative officers will be able to terminate a teacher's employment based on a single performance review.

Potentially, any teacher could be transferred yearafteryear, teachers could be transferred to another community and interim positions could be filled without posting.

Although other unions such as the police and nurses have received raises this year, we are being offered zero per cent increases.

Teachers in B.C. are among the lowest paid teachers in Canada. Yet salary increases continue at the top level of management. As reported in the Vancouver Sun recently, superintendents are making more than $200,000 per year.

Some secondary principals are receiving $50,000 more in salary than the highest paid teacher in the same school.

The LRB has ruled teachers can legally take strike action. After 62 stalled bargaining meetings, teachers are feeling discouraged. The union is beginning to discuss further action.. soon.

Jan Stuart Richmond