Salary grid - actual earnings

Will I make back salary lost during job action when we get a settlement?
In 2005 teachers across BC stood together to demand a fair deal with government. Teachers withdrew service for two weeks and sacrificed income. The following charts detail the experience for a member at category 5 maximum in 05/06.

School Year			Negotiated Increase			Annual Salary (Cat. 5 max)			Negotiated 2% SIP Allowance			Total (salary + allowance)			Actual Salary & Allowance gain/year compared to 05/06 Salary
05/06						$63,737						$63,737
06/07			2.5%			$65,719			$1,314			$67,033			$3,296
07/08			2.5%			$67,362			$1,347			$68,709			$4,972
08/09			5.5%			$71,117			$1,422			$72,539			$8,802
09/10			2.5%			$72,895			$1,458			$74,353			$10,616
10/11			2.0%			$74,353			$1,487			$75,840			$12,103
Total			15%												$39,789

** Negotiated increase in 08/09 included 3.0% Grid Harmonization + 2.5% = 5.5% total increase

Add in 06/07 Signing Bonus	+ $4,000
Total Negotiated Salary & Allowance gain between 05/06 to 10/11	$43,789
$ lost for 2 weeks withdrawal of service in 05/06	- $3,500
Net Negotiated Salary & Allowance gain between 05/06 to 10/11	$40,289

Even after two more years of zeroes, this teacher still sees huge net gains from the withdrawal of service in 05/06.

School Year			Negotiated Increase			Annual Salary (Cat. 5 max)			Negotiated 2% SIP Allowance			Total (salary + allowance)			Actual Salary & Allowance gain/year compared to 05/06 Salary
05/06						$63,737						$63,737
11/12			0%			$74,353			$1,487			$75,840			$12,103
12/13			0%			$74,353			$1,487			$75,840			$12,103
Total			0%												$24,206

$ lost for 3 days withdrawal of service in 11/12	-$1,162
Net Negotiated Salary & Allowance gain 11/12 to 12/13 (in comparison to 05/06 salary)	$23,044
Net Negotiated Salary & Allowance gain between 05/06 to 10/11	+$40,289
Net Negotiated Salary & Allowance gain between 05/06 to 12/13	$63,333

• 􏰀  Between 05/06 and 12/13 a category 5 max teacher has withdrawn their service for 13 days at a cost of $4,662.
  
• 􏰀  During the same period that teacher saw a net increase in their total earnings of $63,333.
  When teachers stand together in an effort to reach a negotiated settlement we make a better tomorrow for every member of our union.
  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                    June 12, 2014

BCTF gives notice to escalate to full-scale strike on June 17
 

Following a historic and decisive province-wide 86% vote that saw the BCTF’s highest ever turnout, the BC Teachers’ Federation has served notice to escalate job action on Tuesday, June 17 to a full withdrawal of services, BCTF President Jim Iker announced today.

“This week’s vote made it clear that BC teachers care deeply about the state of public education and their ability to meet the needs of all their students,” said Iker. “As well, it showed how firmly teachers are committed to doing what’s necessary to reach a fair deal.

“After 12 years of deep cuts, 3,500 teaching positions lost, and 200 schools closed, we are urging this government to reinvest in public education. Teachers are doing their utmost in an underfunded and under-resourced system, but students are not getting the support or one-on-one time they need. Our kids deserve so much more.

“There are still several days left, during which both sides can hunker down, reach a settlement, avoid a full-scale strike, and end the government’s lockout. We’re ready to move, but my message to Christy Clark is, come to the table with new funding, an open mind, and the flexibility needed to reach a fair settlement that will support teachers and students.”

Iker explained that the BCTF has provided the employer with notice that the full withdrawal of services will commence on Tuesday, June 17. In addition, the BCTF has provided notice that Stage 2 job action will be extended to Monday, June 16, with all teachers participating in study sessions province-wide. Teachers will gather together off school property. Schools will not be picketed, but teachers will not be on site.

For the balance of this week, rotating strikes will continue according to the schedule announced earlier. Teachers remain locked out by their employer during recess, lunch, and 45 minutes before and after school, preventing them from doing their regular work during lockout hours.

“To get a fair deal and avert a full-scale strike, BC teachers are looking for improvements to class size, class composition, and staffing levels for specialist teachers to increase one-on-one time for students,” said Iker. “In addition to improvements to student learning conditions, a fair deal must also include a fair wage increase for teachers.”

May 28, 2014

As President of the Peace River North Teachers' Association, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation for the many gestures and acts of kindness the community of Fort St. John and area gave to teachers today while they were on the picket line. Thank you to CUPE members who are standing strong with teachers as we oppose a government that has little respect for education and educators. Teachers were brought gifts of food from many of you today - a huge thank you to the fire fighters, parents, students, retired teachers, teachers of leave, general public, and many businesses who brought donuts, Tim bits, ice caps, coffee, water, muffins, pizza, apples, and so much more to show you are standing with us during this time. Your generosity was overwhelming. Just so everyone knows, we will be on the picket line again on Thursday, June 5th. We will continue to keep calm, but remain strong!

Christy Clark’s lockout creates confusion
May 26, 2014
Why is BCPSEA locking out teachers?
The lockout appears to be a retaliatory move on behalf of BCPSEA. We are vocal advocates for improvements in public education including increased funding, better support for our students, and the return of class size, class composition, and staffing levels for specialist teachers. We also want a fair-wage increase after taking zero wage increases the last two years.
How can BCPSEA dock teachers’ pay? Is this allowed?
BCPSEA first said they would charge the BCTF $5 million per month to pay for the employer’s share of teacher benefits premiums while we conduct the Stage 1 job action. Then they said they would not do that and instead would cut every teachers’ pay by 5%. When we announced we were shifting to Stage 2 rotating strikes, they said they were going to partially lock teachers out and dock our pay by 10% for the days we were working. They want parents and the public to believe that if teachers are partially locked out that means teachers are not working and therefore deserve to be paid less. That is one of the arguments they will use at the Labour Relations Board. An LRB hearing is scheduled for May 29.
Why did BCPSEA say the lockout was a living document that needed tweaking?
The terms of the lockout are contradictory, confusing, and chaotic. Saying it needed tweaking was one way of covering up that the lockout doesn’t make much sense. It is poorly conceived and appears to have been hastily written by someone who is unfamiliar with day-to-day life in schools.
Why is it chaotic?
For one, the lockout notice says teachers cannot enter their workplaces earlier that 45 minutes before the bell. Teachers also must leave their schools no later than 45 minutes after the dismissal bell. The lockout also stipulates that teachers cannot work with students during lunch or recess or communicate with parents during that time either.
Many after school extra-curricular activities last longer than 45 minutes. The same goes for morning activities. Clubs and other kinds of small group activities are often scheduled during lunch. If a teacher is locked out at these times, they can’t very well work with kids then.
Didn’t BCPSEA say teachers could volunteer?
Yes, but they are contradicting their very own lockout. On the one hand they say, teachers can

carry out extra-curricular activities because they say extra-curricular is voluntary. But then they say they are docking teachers’ pay because teachers cannot work during the lockout—the very time that teachers have for extra-curricular. How can they dock teachers’ pay for activities they acknowledge are voluntary? That is one example of why the lockout notice is confusing and illogical.
What about field trips? What about working during lunchtime?
Many field trips are full-day affairs. The lockout says teachers cannot work at lunch so locking teachers out at lunchtime jeopardizes field trips. Following the terms of BCPSEA’s lockout, who would supervise the students at lunchtime? If teachers stay and supervise, then they could become personally liable for any situation. In addition, it is unclear whether any WorkSafeBC coverage would be in effect because the teacher would not be officially working. The lockout puts both teachers and their students in a precarious position.
What else should I know about the lockout?
The lockout also says that teachers cannot do professional development on their own time, only during a scheduled non-instructional day. This makes no sense either. Does it mean a teacher cannot read a professional article, talk about it with other teachers, attend a workshop on a Saturday morning? Again, teachers are being docked pay for activities they do on their own time. And for activities that help us to continue to grow as teachers.
The lockout also prohibits teachers from meeting to plan and organize next year’s classes. This does not bode well for the coming school year.
Why are they locking out teachers the last three days of school?
To save money and to act punitively. It is a terrible way to end the school year.
How are teachers feeling about this whole thing?
Not great. The lockout will damage relationships between school districts and the teachers they employ. First, the collective agreement was stripped in 2002. From then until now, thousands of teaching jobs throughout the province have been cut. Schools have been closed. We’ve seen an ongoing and steady underfunding of public education. We live it everyday and see how it affects our students. Waiting lists for services are the norm. Lots of kids miss out on the help they need. The lockout adds insult to injury. Please tell Christy Clark and Peter Fassbender and local school trustees to do the right thing. Bargain in good faith and fund public education the way it deserves.
SC:unifor/vt:tfeu 140526

 Information letters for parents in English, French, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), and Punjabi regarding the recent job action are available by clicking on the link:

  http://www.bctf.ca/parents.aspx

STRIKE VOTE

 MARCH 3, 4, 5 & 6, 2014

* Voting will be available at the PRNTA Office on:

       March 3 from 8:30 – 6:00 (Advance Poll)

       March 4, 5, 6 from 8:30 – 4:30

* Voting will be available at each work site at recess, lunch and after school.  Location TBD by your Staff Rep.

* Voting at Upper Halfway, Wonowon, Buick Creek schools and Aboriginal Education Centre on Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Michele Wiebe, President

Know Your Collective Agreement!

One way PRNTA members can ensure that they are aware of their rights is to know their Collective Agreement (CA).  

Please select the Collective Agreement tab and read an overview of how our CA regulates the terms and conditions of members in our workplaces, our duties and the duties of our employer.

The initial editions outline our contract language around the many types of Leaves of Absence contained in Section G.