The BCTF held its annual general meeting at Victoria this past week. There could not be a more picturesque setting in which to be cloistered in a conference room for four days. Here are a few impressions from the meetings. Union engagement is growing Whether due to rising polarization and extremism world-wide or because social media has facilitated participation, we are living in a time where people are engaged and involved politically. This is good news for unions in general and for social justice unions like the BCTF in particular. Many members who spoke at the this years’ meeting did so for the first time and a good many of them identified themselves as first time delegates. Clearly, efforts to build member engagement are paying dividends. We saw this at my own local too where we were forced to elect delegates for the first time in four years. Emotions Ran High Coming on the heels of the racist, terrorist attack in New Zealand, there was a pall over much of the meeting and a heightened awareness of the rising tide of fear, hatred and intolerance throughout the world. For some this was reinforced by the meetings refusal to adopt measures that would give members from equity seeking groups guaranteed representation at the executive level of the BCTF. This was interpreted as further evidence of systematic racism, sexism and homophobia within the organization. Obviously, I don’t share this interpretation as I am both for representation, inclusion and equity and opposed to to these policies. The ends should not justify the means. Women Rule Teri Mooring (Quesnel) is our new president. Carole Gordon (Kelowna) is our 2nd VP. Susan Trabant (Prince George) Rae Firgursky (Burnaby), Violette Baillargeon (Surrey), Karen Edwards (Tumbler Ridge), Jody Polukoshko (Vancouver), and Katherine Trepanier (Prince George) are our new Members at Large. Not to be forgotten, Clint Johnston (Chilliwack) moved from 2nd VP to first VP. Democracy is Expensive One of the bigger expenses of the BCTF is the AGM which costs approximately $1.18 million. Given that we are in session for a total of 28 hours, it's $42142.86/hour or $702.38/minute. If that seems expensive to you consider the collective body. This group is one of the most highly educated, intelligent and informed groups in the province. Their opinions will influence education for years to come which in turn will influence the future for decades. Really, it’s a bargain. And I won’t share the details of the union finances here, but suffice to say our increased member contributions over the past five years have drastically improved our financial situation as an organization. That led to a number of proposed amendments to reduce membership fees, but all were defeated. Prudence dictates, it’s better to have money and not need it than to need money and not have it. And this is a bargaining year. Speaking of which- Bargaining There was some encouraging news on the bargaining front. The BCTF is the last public sector labour union to sit down with the government and thus far the negotiators have been pleased with the general tone of the negotiations. Looking at numerous other collective agreements that have already been completed, it seems it is possible to get a new deal done before the end of this collective agreement that addresses the disparity between the salaries of BC teachers those living in the rest of Canada which, in turn, might help us to address problems with recruitment and retention. Proper negotiations don’t begin until April 1st (don’t trust anything they say before noon!) but, fingers crossed, hopefully we can negotiate an agreement that teachers will celebrate. Decolonizing is a Tricky Business The AGM got a collective lesson in just how difficult this work is on the day after we heard an inspiring, yet troubling presentation from Lucia Morales, an indigenous educator from Mexico, where the process of colonization is ongoing. The BCTF committed to adopting the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as well as the The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), but as one delegate eloquently put it, “voting for this resolution is just the start of the work”. The Government has a Fight on its Hands Delegates spoke passionately against the government's desire to move to a prevalence based funding formula for school districts. The problems with such a model were explained by President Glen Hansman: “The prevalence model will lead to fewer special needs assessments and diagnoses. Without that information, teachers will lose valuable insights at the start of each year when they begin working with a new class. If there is no record of diagnosis and paperwork articulating the nature of a student's disability or learning challenges, teachers will not be able to properly address that child's needs as they move through different grades. This disconnection in the name of accounting efficiencies will hamstring teachers' efforts to support all students.” Furthermore, “Moving to a prevalence model will also force parents to fight even harder for specialized supports and services. Families who can afford it will turn to outside psychologists to diagnose their children's needs. But kids whose parents can't afford it, or don't have a parent pushing hard in the principal's office, will be left behind.” Although delegates stopped short of taking immediate action, it was clear that there is a willingness to do whatever it takes to prevent the implementation of this funding model. The Kids are Alright- the Planet... Not So Much Seth Klein gave an impassioned speech to the delegation about the need for urgent mobilization on Climate Change. He likened the climate crisis to the second world war and suggested that a similar response was required to meet the transformational challenges we have before us. His presentation was followed by a group of Victoria students who had been part of the student strike the Friday before the March break. Over a million students worldwide walked out of their classes on March 15th protesting climate inaction on the part of world leaders. Despite their youth, they were as intelligent and articulate in presenting their petition to have teachers endorse their walk-out. Both presentations helped to support a slew of recommendations calling for a greater focus on the environment going forward. Unfortunately, many of these failed to make it to the floor of the AGM to be debated and voted upon, but they will be addressed at the next Representative Assembly in May. Teachers Like a Good Time The St. Patrick’s Day dance with “Queer as Funk” was definitely the highlight of the festivities, but every evening had something to let delegates blow off some steam. From karaoke to trivia to stand-up comedy, there was something for everyone as well and appies and drinks to keep everybody hydrated and well-nourished. It creates the ideal circumstances to mix and mingle and get to know other educators from around the province. If you have never attended an AGM, I highly recommend that you try to make it to one. You will leave both exhausted and energized with a much greater appreciation and understanding of how your union functions as well as the challenges facing both our profession and our world.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |