EY Rdivor’ 's note: Due to. the. 2 large volume. OF mail oo ceived over the past week: pertaining to the labor: dispute between the School District 88 board of | trusteesand the - ~~

|. Lerrace District Teachers’ Association, we have set aside Sy

an: ‘extra editorial page-to-publish all letters received on.

the subject. Readers should be aware that the opinions’

expressed. are not necessarily those of the Terrace

Review.

+ i

- Readers should dso note that most of these letters

were received prior to the latest round of negotiations and some of the information may have changed in the . intervening period. °

Caring:

To the Editor;

, Whether or not it was inten--

“tional, Joan Cox’s letter to the

‘editor: (Jan. 11) indicated that: the: ‘teachers: in School District -

#88 who voted for a strike

“(93.5%) do not care ¢ about stu- " dents. -

A> couple of years ago, a

_. Working-and Learning Condi-

‘tions ° Survey indicated that. the * - average . working

time for teachers in this district was 52.8

~ “hours per week. This.is'a far cry

from

the public feel that teachers ex- clusively. perform. Do the strik- ing teachers in this district who, on the whole, put in many hours

of extra, volunteer time, do so. because they do. n not care about |

_ children?

i, one of the strikers, would be willing to challenge Joan Cox

with regard to my personal con- -

cern for children. I would be ‘willing: Ho. weigh my. extra-

' veurticular? time with . students

phe ee

against hers, Sometimes, I pray.

for work weeks that only total

--§2.8 hours of working time. I

‘also know that my wife, who is a striking English teacher, would be far less stressful if she didn’t spend 7:30 to 1:00 marking “papers nearly every night.

_ Ofcourse, there are those who will say we are on strike for our own. self-interest. Yes, such

items as class size,limits, ade- a voice .

_ quate preparation time, . jn deciding policies and pro-

grams (to name a few), do affect —

the working conditions of the teacher, but they also affect the

_ learning conditions of the stu- . dent.

Parents raising their children

7 could also be criticized for striv-

ing for certain standards that would: serve their own self- ‘interest as well as their children’s. Furthermore, parents, like teachers, could be criticized for depriving their children in the short term in - order to allow for a better long

_ term future.

- Persunally, I am involved in a

“major drama project dealing

“with alcohol and teenagers that

is. now in serious jeopardy.

- However, I coach students to

“play for the future. and not to

, live only for today. I must also

be concerned about the drama

_ students next year and the years after that. “Pm certain that there are

; “many who feel that teachers are

_ preedy,. selfish individuals who

want fo starve financially the

taxpayers. ‘I believe that 1% average. increases for the past six } yea shave. not indicated ‘gfeedit .. With a.24% i increase

. the 9 am. to.3 p.m. _-instruction-only. | hours (30 hours) that many members of.

period, it would take 18% now to just stay “evel”, Teachers are asking for 9% for each of - the next two years. Sure, there is”

a cost factor, Sure, Victoria: is

‘smiling - while trustees.: and ©

teachers fight themselves. ‘believe we need to attract new, talented: people into the profes- sion. Why are so few graduates entering teacher training in the

amongst

universities? If teachers are truly ‘doing so well, why isn’t there a rush to enter the Education

faculties? Why is teaching, in in-

dependent research, judged to the third most stressful occupa<

tion, next to doctors and air traffic controllers? No one

‘wants to pay more if they can avoid it — including me, but,

in my experience, seldom do you get something worthwhile unless. you are willing to pay ‘for it. Moreover, with ‘regard to the financial question, how long can we continue to press the’ school to handle an ever-increasing list of present academic and social problems and resist paying for

the services? Society will end up

paying for the cost in other, less constructive ways.

negotiations, but did you also tell that to the highly-paid negotiator/lawyer working for the School Board? Everyone knows the history of certain lawyers and court cases that

drag on seemingly forever. How |

long would you be willing to work on our negotiation teati dealing with a lawyer who may be in no hurry to settle a con-

- tract?

I believe strongly in concilia- tion and worked with a former trustee, Danny Sheridan, on devising an agreement that would establish. a Joint Trustee/Teacher : Committee. Such a committee would meet regularly to vent concerns like steam from a kettle before the pressure got too intense. Also, it would work to promote the many positive activities that oc- cur in our schools, Such a joint effort could be powerful. However, due to the employer/employee climate at that time, which led to. an instruction-only campaign, the idea faded into oblivion. We need to develop trust and a shar- ing of decision-making before

both parties can become con-

ciliatory.

Joan, you write that before 1981 the teachers in this district didn’t seem to be suffering, and you seem to wonder why the teachers are so vocal now, First- ly, you forgot to mention that before. 1981, there were not severe cutbacks in financing education. Secondly, prior to 1981, the teacher turnover rate in this district was.very high, ‘and

-many of the teachers were new,

Nonetheless, I.

‘the future trustees, : trators, and teacherscan become ~

- inexperienced teachers who were- not very well informed about.

working and learning condi- tions; The educational recession

resulted in many more informed

teachers staying in. Terrace

“because there. were not jobs else-

where, (This situation is just ‘now beginning to change). To _ summarize: then is not now. .

You also state: ‘Each new

_strike. seems to be called for

small and less important issues

than those nearer to the be-

ginning of the labour move-

ment.’” Where have you been? © ‘Don’t you. know that we are

negotiating, starting from

scratch? Afi 120 items in our _ past contract have had to be re- "negotiated. We are essentially in -

the same situation as the be- ginning of the struggle for basic rights. Are supervision. free: lunch times, fair processes’ for

dismissal and . discipline, atid - hours of the work day and the work year (to name only a few -

of the items to be. negotiated) “small and less - important: issues’? =

You also suggest. that we are pawns of the BCTF. Again,

where have you been? In every’

TDTA meeting I have ever been

to (and I have been to many), | the teachers’ behaviors are in- ’ tensely have never been easily swayed by - the BCTF or even by. their own

individualistic. They

executive, |

You also mention: “rm sure

that if we were still an associa-

"_ tion with a ‘voluntary executive, - Yes, it would be nice, Joan, to - have a conciliatory approach to

we could hire a good. negotiator for less:than half -of ‘what the local union members are paying out right now.” Firstly, out of a

total executive of about 20, only ~

the president’s position isn’t

voluntary. Secondly, in my -

opinion, when education and

employer/employee relations get. ‘dumped

into .the hands of negotiators, the education ‘SyS- ‘mn is really in trouble.

I only hope that sometime in

true partners in the workplace and not such distant com- municators.

In closing, I feel terrible being.

‘on strike. My record as: the Skeena School Theatre Arts teacher hopefully indicates that. I do care about students. Fur- ther more, I believe that given the time that most teachers in this district spend ‘‘educating”’

outside the classroom, they care . a great deal about their students, ©

; _ Terrace, B.C,

_ Win-win

district as experienced.

adminis- -

'. Brian Koven,

ing IRC approved; or. the need” °c for an outside-negotiator.who is . only available at certain. times, |

_, It is time to. stop delaying!

Teachers know the conditions of the classroom and we (the

public .and members of the

School Board) count on them to. - provide a high quality of educa- . tion to our students. Youth are — our - future.’ The School Board. must listen receptively to. these ~ . professionals when they suggest ‘improvements to their working ‘conditions. .- It is time to swallow pride, to:

drop defences, and to adopt the ideas of . “principled negotia- tion” where-a. win-win. ‘solution is perceived to be possible. We

urge the members of the School . Board to approach the bargain- ing table assuming ‘that ‘the - teachers” requests are based on.

genuine concerns.

“We instruct our elected rep: : resentatives to consider ‘settle- ; ment of this contract'to be. of ut-: most importance. and to: avoid

any further delays...

Mary Bowering, [

-Blizabeth Ball, Debbie Bouzane, ae Candice Kerman,

Deja vu.

To the Editor: ‘Last week’s public meeting of

the Board of Trustees of District - . #88 must strike the public: with ©

1981's personnel . debacle has repeated itself: with

the dubious efforts of this year’s» ; To the Editor; |

- It'is ‘with great restraint that” one has watched the combina-.

deja- “Vu.

Board to bargain efficiently an’ equitable agreement with its teaching employees.

. If serious, sincere efforts are’

not made to settle this dis-

agreement soon, the public can look forward to even greater tur- -

nover of teaching staff in the and capable teachers look elsewhere for the employment of their pro- fessional skills. .

With all the human and

-natural attractions that this

community has to offer, it is un- fortunate that

than to attract and keep the best. Al Lehmann, Terrace, B. Cc.

Recruiting

To the Editor; ' The Board of Trustees’ of District #88 ‘are continuing the

tradition of our provincial gov- ernment’s attitude toward public

services ~-- squeeze the employees for as much work,

' yoluntary or otherwise, as can

To the Editor;

_As parents of school age chil- dren, as taxpayers and as voting citizens, we are writing to ex- press our concern over the pres- ent teachers’ strike which causes

the schools to be closed and all:

extracurricular activities to be cancelled.

‘There is an apparent lack of commitment to solving the im-

passe; Various excuses are pre-.

sented to rationalize delays, for

example, the atrike vote not be:

be gotten, and pay as little as possible for it. ae

When hiring professional em- ployees for such an important task as.the custody and instruc- tion of our children, surely it is incumbent upon the Board to seek the best and to willingly pay well for it, Peanut prizes inspire monkey contestants. This com- munity: will not retain many of the highly qualified teachers it has nor will it find it easy to at-

tract new ones as the pay scale.

- To the Editors.

Lela Zimmer, .

"Terrace, B.C. errace, B. "significance than a minor traffic

_ infraction. The Board should get- to ‘the table, get-an-honourable « - : '- agreement, and get this District o ‘back to business. : :

its school. management policies remain a ‘blight to drive staff away rather

continues to- decline: relative t oe ae

other areas.-

This board ‘must. set. more ae : ‘realistic. in its attitude toward .- . ‘contract bargaining, and if that... means ‘digging a little. deeper into roe! its pockets; so be it. ae ag ee _ Bruce Bingham, a

Terrace, E ‘B.C C.

Delays:

lam dismayed and appalled

the judgment | of the’ “School... - Board ‘in ‘its decision to delay: Se bargaining as long as it did. The. imagined moral-high road-ex- -

pounded by Trustee Cooper is

an. extraordinarily: “expensive a lesson and for the most. part | relevant to a public more oc-

cupied with the practical con-.. cerns. of their: children’ Ss. educa-. ea

tion.. ‘however, . ‘that. "the

moral offense and miore to. do with political tactics where

ultimate effect is to make. our 7 children the losers. The IRC’s —

ruling. probably has less:

Jim Lamb, Terrace, B. C.,

Bill 20°

tion ‘of foot-dragging and. power-plays -that

and its teachers. When one sees a community in a state of. an- noyance and despair, however, it is difficult to remain‘silent.

Despair is reflected in what

people are saying as they at-—

tempt to assess when our chil- dren will once again be receiving the edication that we are all paying so expensively for. Peo- -

ple are angrily talking about the - **non- : - a which . exists-

‘‘polarization’’ and communication”’

between the Board and teacher

representatives; and about the |

*“‘pursed - lips’ reflecting en-. trenched attitudes. These seem to promise little hope of a quick

resolution to the present im-

passe. Historically, there: are many

_teasons for the polarization be- tween boards and teachers.

Some of these reasons can be

- found in the traditional tensions

that exist between management

and: labour; and in the Pro-'.

vincial School Finance. system that often pits board against teacher, That - system, . with its pre-determined: working condi- tions and. salary guidelines, frustrates trustees who, under-— standably, are anxious to. avoid imposing an additional tax. on their cornmunities by exceeding ; the guidelines. oo.

All of this aside, we have here

a situation that could perhaps

_ Continued on page 7 - - :

a i do. not mean to suggest that. rae thie Board of Trustees shoulden-' :- . : courage felonious behavior. I do... ‘suggest,. Board's delay. has less to do with

have... characterized. negotiations be- tweenour local School Board

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