Where has the time gone? I am sure you are asking yourself the same thing – there we were at the beginning of a new school year and suddenly it is Halloween. We had a good turn out for the General Meeting earlier this month, and we have elected the remainder of this year’s CVTA Executive. Thank you to those who participated at the meeting, and a big thank you to the members who have put their names forward to work on behalf of the CVTA this year.
We have just signed a lease for a new office – ironically, the classroom I last taught in. The new office is located directly across from Sunset Seeds, at 1621 Canyon Street and we will be attempting to set it up as a temporary office until we can rebuild. The latest on the old office is that there is evidence of asbestos, and it will need to be properly cleaned up before we can have any chance of entering the building, or even to begin on reconstruction.
We will be co-hosting a forum regarding the Trustee Election on Wed., Nov 2nd at the PCSS auditorium from 7 to 9 pm. This is a very important issue, and we wish to encourage every member to come to the forum to hear the candidates respond to questions and to speak on what they feel are important issues in education. Your vote will have a direct impact on the classrooms in which you work – please take the time to vote, and to encourage your friends and neighbours to do the same.
Thank you again for your support and actions during Phase One – we have been impressed with level of member support. Please continue to contact the office regarding questions about the job action, and any other topics.
(Originally posted by Becky on October 24, 2011)
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
CVTA Office Fire
Where to start? With the job action, with the fire, or with a simple welcome back? We are already well into our jobs, and the summer vacation memories may be fading with our tans and the hot weather!
Speaking of heat, you will know by now that we have been devastated by the fire which destroyed our wee office building. Thank you to the members who helped at the time of the fire, thanks to those of you who have offered your help and your shoulders for me to cry on. The CVTA is a family of teachers who really know how to work together and to look after each other. We have had the very good news just yesterday that the data files have been recovered by Pro-To-Call. The office is temporarily in various sites in my home – and Doug has allowed us to store some of the rescued files from the basement in his house. We are working out details with insurance and the executive will need to make some decisions soon as to the road forward.
Please keep front and center that our actions in Phase One of the job action is supposed to enhance your professionalism – do what you enjoy doing, and know that we are in a legal position to withdraw from certain activities to emphasize our concerns around the state of bargaining. Our students are always front and center in our concerns, and gains we make in our bargaining essentially are also gains for them. This is to be a year of joyful teaching; ask your staff rep if you have concerns – and enjoy the ability to focus on our concerns in our classrooms.
Forgive the lack of a calendar and list of Executive Members, 2011 has started off with a bang and it may take me awhile to find time to update the web information. Talk to you soon!
(Originally Posted by Becky on September 16, 2011)
Summer Bargaining
Hoping that you are enjoying the summer break, and get the rest and relaxation we all
need. Our classrooms are very challenging, and we need to ensure that we have taken the
time to recharge our professional batteries, and to spend valuable time with loved ones.
Thanks to all of the executive members who have dedicated hours of voluntary work this school year to provide services to the members of the CVTA. We are so lucky that we have members willing to take on the challenging role this is. Many of them will be attending Summer Conference in Kamloops, and will return with ideas and information which will benefit us all.
You will be hearing and reading articles regarding both the BCTF and the BCCT this
summer; please take the time to email or phone with your reactions to the media
coverage. If it is not reflecting your concerns, speak out on behalf or our students and concerns. Contact the medium yourself – as a classroom teacher you are believed by the public and your voice speaks much more loudly than an organized event or response. Our working conditions are the learning conditions of our students, and we need to be
prepared to inform others of our concerns.
Of course, one of the issues worth consideration is the fact that despite our gains in salary since the last strike, we have fallen further and further behind. We have provided a link to a salary grid which shows just how far we have fallen.
Locally, bargaining has been an interesting experience – someone must have cursed us
with the proverb, “May you live in interesting times.” Again, the work of the Bargaining Team has been outstanding on your behalf and I must again thank members who work on the behalf of all. Thank you to Bill, Mike and Doug for all of the work you have done. A bulletin will be posted soon to the web which frames our work so far on your behalf. We are looking forward to more work in this area in the fall.
Finally, may your summer be peaceful and relaxing. May the mosquitoes be few, may the
sunshine feel unending, and may all of the days of summer be what you need.
(Originally Posted by Becky July 6, 2011)
need. Our classrooms are very challenging, and we need to ensure that we have taken the
time to recharge our professional batteries, and to spend valuable time with loved ones.
Thanks to all of the executive members who have dedicated hours of voluntary work this school year to provide services to the members of the CVTA. We are so lucky that we have members willing to take on the challenging role this is. Many of them will be attending Summer Conference in Kamloops, and will return with ideas and information which will benefit us all.
You will be hearing and reading articles regarding both the BCTF and the BCCT this
summer; please take the time to email or phone with your reactions to the media
coverage. If it is not reflecting your concerns, speak out on behalf or our students and concerns. Contact the medium yourself – as a classroom teacher you are believed by the public and your voice speaks much more loudly than an organized event or response. Our working conditions are the learning conditions of our students, and we need to be
prepared to inform others of our concerns.
Of course, one of the issues worth consideration is the fact that despite our gains in salary since the last strike, we have fallen further and further behind. We have provided a link to a salary grid which shows just how far we have fallen.
Locally, bargaining has been an interesting experience – someone must have cursed us
with the proverb, “May you live in interesting times.” Again, the work of the Bargaining Team has been outstanding on your behalf and I must again thank members who work on the behalf of all. Thank you to Bill, Mike and Doug for all of the work you have done. A bulletin will be posted soon to the web which frames our work so far on your behalf. We are looking forward to more work in this area in the fall.
Finally, may your summer be peaceful and relaxing. May the mosquitoes be few, may the
sunshine feel unending, and may all of the days of summer be what you need.
(Originally Posted by Becky July 6, 2011)
Summer News
Indeed, we are living in interesting times. Two weeks ago at the General Meeting we
celebrated the historical win regarding Bills 27 and 28. We also mourned the loss of our CVTA contract – the result of the BCTF Executive’s decision not to appeal the Supreme Court’s ruling that “significant harm did not occur” when our contract was vaporized in 2002 and we were forced into an alliance with the Nelson District teachers. The meeting also unanimously called for the executive to arrange a meeting with the BCTF President Susan Lambert to discuss our concerns regarding this momentous loss. That meeting will be held at the PCSS music room on June 14th at 4 pm.
This meeting will be crucial as the result of a motion passed at the Representative
Assembly calling for a strike vote this month. The lack of progress at both the provincial and local table has clearly indicated the need for a mandate which will empower bargaining teams in order to motivate progress at the bargaining tables. We will be conducting school visits leading up to the vote to be held June 24, 27, and 28. The executive will need to make some decisions around the model of the vote, and we will be communicating with staff reps so you are kept well informed and participate fully regarding this issue.
We have had questions around the idea of professional development being held during
the summer months – a vote which will be held at all schools soon. Our contract clearly
states that the Board cannot force teachers to work outside the regular school
year. However, some staffs wish to take days in lieu for time worked in the summer. The
CVTA has encouraged staffs to make school based decisions regarding this – with the
information that the BCTF actually has policy which encourages members to resist
this. We believe that if members have developed and planned good professional
development opportunities at schools – not in service or meetings to deal with
accountability – members should have the right to choose. This being said, the key is the involvement of members in planning the summer professional development. PD
Committees at schools will be able to fully advise members of what will be occurring in
the summer dates.
On a much lighter and positive note, the Retirement Banquet this month will be expanded to include an Induction Ceremony for new members to our profession. We are hoping members will be encouraged to attend a ceremony which celebrates the conclusion of successful careers, and the beginning of new careers. You can buy your ticket from your staff rep - $25 for a great meal and evening of professional comradeship. See you there!
(Originally posted by Becky May 30, 2011)
celebrated the historical win regarding Bills 27 and 28. We also mourned the loss of our CVTA contract – the result of the BCTF Executive’s decision not to appeal the Supreme Court’s ruling that “significant harm did not occur” when our contract was vaporized in 2002 and we were forced into an alliance with the Nelson District teachers. The meeting also unanimously called for the executive to arrange a meeting with the BCTF President Susan Lambert to discuss our concerns regarding this momentous loss. That meeting will be held at the PCSS music room on June 14th at 4 pm.
This meeting will be crucial as the result of a motion passed at the Representative
Assembly calling for a strike vote this month. The lack of progress at both the provincial and local table has clearly indicated the need for a mandate which will empower bargaining teams in order to motivate progress at the bargaining tables. We will be conducting school visits leading up to the vote to be held June 24, 27, and 28. The executive will need to make some decisions around the model of the vote, and we will be communicating with staff reps so you are kept well informed and participate fully regarding this issue.
We have had questions around the idea of professional development being held during
the summer months – a vote which will be held at all schools soon. Our contract clearly
states that the Board cannot force teachers to work outside the regular school
year. However, some staffs wish to take days in lieu for time worked in the summer. The
CVTA has encouraged staffs to make school based decisions regarding this – with the
information that the BCTF actually has policy which encourages members to resist
this. We believe that if members have developed and planned good professional
development opportunities at schools – not in service or meetings to deal with
accountability – members should have the right to choose. This being said, the key is the involvement of members in planning the summer professional development. PD
Committees at schools will be able to fully advise members of what will be occurring in
the summer dates.
On a much lighter and positive note, the Retirement Banquet this month will be expanded to include an Induction Ceremony for new members to our profession. We are hoping members will be encouraged to attend a ceremony which celebrates the conclusion of successful careers, and the beginning of new careers. You can buy your ticket from your staff rep - $25 for a great meal and evening of professional comradeship. See you there!
(Originally posted by Becky May 30, 2011)
New Website
Welcome to the newest addition to the union – we are looking forward to developing this site, and wish to thank Chris Riehl who has provided all of the technological support to get the site up and running. Please sign up to the forum, it will allow the site to be quite interactive, and that area will be secure for members only and will allow us to communicate confidential information to members.
The last few weeks have been exciting ones for teachers across the province – we have
won back the sections of the contract which were stripped away by a government
determined to control our working and learning conditions. We had bargained those
conditions, and often given up things like salary increases to ensure our class size limits and other working conditions as well as the learning conditions for our students were improved.
We are looking forward to improving those sections of the contract, as they are now
almost a decade out of date. Our bargaining team is determined to improve the contract
and to meet the objectives which you set earlier this year. Watch the contract section of the CVTA web site for bargaining updates. (originally posted by Becky on April 25, 2011)
The last few weeks have been exciting ones for teachers across the province – we have
won back the sections of the contract which were stripped away by a government
determined to control our working and learning conditions. We had bargained those
conditions, and often given up things like salary increases to ensure our class size limits and other working conditions as well as the learning conditions for our students were improved.
We are looking forward to improving those sections of the contract, as they are now
almost a decade out of date. Our bargaining team is determined to improve the contract
and to meet the objectives which you set earlier this year. Watch the contract section of the CVTA web site for bargaining updates. (originally posted by Becky on April 25, 2011)
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