Labour-relations expert says “imagination” could open B.C. classrooms on September 2

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      With a bit of inspired thinking, B.C. public schools could open right after Labour Day, a world-renowned labour-relations expert suggests.

      “It would be nice to see a little more imagination,” John Fryer quipped in a phone interview with the Georgia Straight.

      The consultant specializing in collective bargaining, conflict resolution, and human resources has come up with a few scenarios.

      One would see B.C. teachers lift their strike, and the province its lockout, effective at midnight on Sunday (August 31).

      “I don’t mean the strike ends. I mean it’s just suspended, so that the teachers can be back in school and the children can be in school and the parents have some peace of mind,” said Fryer, an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria’s school of public administration.

      Secondly, the parties would take issues they haven’t resolved—around money and contract language, especially regarding class size and composition—before a board for binding arbitration.

      “That board could have three members: one nominated by the teachers, one nominated by the government, and one third party,” said Fryer, who thinks issues that teachers and the province don’t want resolved through binding arbitration shouldn’t be the reason why more than 550,000 students can’t be in classrooms starting Tuesday (September 2).

      “I guess they could theoretically keep negotiating,” Fryer said.

      Then there’s the “third leg of the stool”, which relates to the government’s pending appeal of a B.C. Supreme Court ruling that the province violated teachers’ rights by stripping class-size limits and staffing-level requirements in classrooms with special-needs students from their contract.

      Fryer explained that while the B.C. Court of Appeal has yet to hear the case and make a decision, the government can match the $12 million it saves for each day of the teachers’ strike, creating a jointly administered fund that grows by $24 million daily to address the issues of class size and assistants for special-needs students.

      “Obviously, the teachers want more assistants in the classrooms to deal with special-needs children,” he said. “Well, there’s an awful lot of mothers who could be trained to work in that capacity, many of whom have children in the schools. I mean, we need some imagination here.”

      If imagination seems to be Fryer’s word of choice, he likely has it in abundance. During his career in labour relations, he was directly involved in bargaining for 100 collective agreements in the public and private sectors. Among the many hats he has worn is that of general secretary and CEO of the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union.

      The labour dispute was a major issue when representatives of the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council met for their annual retreat on August 25.

      “We have children of all ages represented here. My youngest is supposed to start kindergarten,” DPAC president Melanie Antweiler told the Straight by phone.

      Like Fryer, the mother of two boys believes that binding arbitration may provide part of the solution to the dispute.

      “If they can’t even get into a room together, maybe somebody else needs to call them to the table,” Antweiler said.

      In July, the Vancouver school board wrote Education Minister Peter Fassbender and B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Jim Iker, and suggested that they use binding arbitration to reach a settlement.

      “We haven’t heard any specific response to that,” school board chair Patti Bacchus noted in a phone interview with the Straight. “That’s still something I would encourage, if they can’t get through mediation or bargaining on their own.”

      Perhaps it’s time for more imagination as Fryer suggested, because as Bacchus observed on August 25, things are “not looking good”.

      Comments

      9 Comments

      Sam

      Aug 27, 2014 at 3:13pm

      As a "parent" I like pieces of each of the above scenarios. #3 in particular but bctf would neeeeeeever go for that, go ahead and ask them.

      Tom

      Aug 28, 2014 at 9:21am

      I think that the Union would jump for binding arbitration. It is the Employer that would never agree to enter that sort of relationship, they would not be able to get away with stripping contracts and ignoring constitutional rights.

      Mike Carter

      Aug 28, 2014 at 9:31am

      “Obviously, the teachers want more assistants in the classrooms to deal with special-needs children,” he said. “Well, there’s an awful lot of mothers who could be trained to work in that capacity, many of whom have children in the schools."

      Yes... because mothers don't have jobs of their own. What is this the 50s?

      Linda Y.

      Aug 28, 2014 at 7:43pm

      I agree with Mike Carters comment - most parents (note the more accurate gender neutral term) have jobs of their own already.

      As for these fictional "mothers you could be trained in that capacity" - Mr. Fryer forgets that not everyone who is a mother would be a good SEA (Special Education Assistant) or SSW (Special Support Worker). SEAs and SSWs are occupations that require dedication and skill (and a diploma!) A person could be a great mum (or father), but have the interest or the aptitude to provide support for classroom management and the specialized behavioral management of a child with special needs.

      Also, how would these fictional "mothers" be trained? Does Fryer mean that there will be paid training for the college diploma (2 years) that current support staff have, which will then lead to more job openings in the school (which would require more funding from the Ministry)? Or does he think that these "mothers" would have a one week workshop and then be placed in the classroom where they would not have the skills/training/experience and effectiveness of someone who is actually suited for the role (i.e. the current SEAs and SSWs). If this is the case, Mr. Fryer is woefully ignorant of public education, classroom management and the specialized support required by children with special needs to integrate successfully in the classroom.

      A public school (which embraces integration and inclusion) needs a mix of Special Education Teachers (BCTF) and SEAs and SSW's (CUPE). Volunteers have a role in events (such as field trips), but they do not belong in the classroom in a role of supporting the teacher in the education of the children.

      What Mr. Fryer suggests would compromise the education of the children., It is disrespectful of the skills of the support and teaching staff. It is not rooted in reality when he thinks that there is an endless stream of suitable volunteers (all with clean criminal record checks, mastery of therapeutic communication and the desire/financial ability to volunteer in the classroom.

      This is not using one's imagination for a real situation, it is complete fantasy.

      EcoCollectivist

      Aug 28, 2014 at 9:30pm

      The Union is more likely to agree to binding arbitration than the Government. This is because within any binding arbitration the language around class size and composition would be respected due to the two previous court decisions. Also, binding arbitration would not do anything about the huge liability around grievances that will come from the BCTF once the Government looses the next court case. The government is attempting to use this union busting behaviour and contract language to get out of the fact that they totally F'd up and its going to cost the government 10s of millions. Since arbitration would not deal with this the government will never enter in to binding arbitration.

      Ben MyCree

      Aug 29, 2014 at 7:18am

      Education Assistants need to have education theory and pedagogical training to properly scaffold students with learning/behaviour challenges or ESL needs including: Differentiation, assessment for learning, and a deep understanding of the concepts being taught. This should be a job for newly certified teachers; i.e the approximate 2700 that graduate every year with only 1/3 getting into a district. This would provide support throughout the whole classroom as opposed to the students who have official diagnosis and are assigned an EA. Many capable students who aren't diagnosed but are struggling and need the support often are left to their own devices as EAs focus on their assigned students. However,students who require complete one on one support still would have their own specially trained EA. Ultimately put a new teacher into every classroom to support the contract teacher!

      Donnie Lochrie

      Aug 29, 2014 at 3:38pm

      BC teachers are whistleblowers. You pay more than your share of taxes, and expect your kids to get a solid education. Well, it’s not happening. Teachers can’t do their jobs under day-care-like conditions. They can mind your child while you are at work, but you can’t expect them to teach much. Especially if the kids are suffering from media-induced social-stuntification, are taught self-entitlement, and are allowed to run wild by administration and parents, denying the teacher the right to have discipline in the class. Back in the days, kids were disciplined and parents called the shots. Kids ate what they were served, in their house and others'. Now many parents serve only what the kids want. The kids carry this ‘we call the shots’ attitude into the classroom. The teachers can’t prop up the rotten structure anymore. Thieves at the top have to return what they stole from the system (corporate tax breaks in 2001/contract stripping in 2002), so that teachers can manage their classes and get back to educating future citizens: creative entrepreneurs spearheading new small businesses not worker bees sinking to 3rd-world conditions. Teachers are telling you: 1) Classes are over crowded. What does the future hold with no protection in the teacher’s contract? From 33 to 43 little monsters in class? 53? And what about the little angels? How do they benefit? When do they get a chance to get ahead? Go ask a gifted child what his/her classroom is like. 2) Classes are filled with a crazy mix of students: gifted, learning disabled, ESL. Teachers can barely teach under these conditions and students can barely learn. 3) There is minimal discipline of these self-entitled, malnourished kids. That is the real situation. Don’t believe it? “Somebody better do their research.”

      Donnie Lochrie

      Aug 29, 2014 at 3:38pm

      Never mind inside the classroom, this is what BC teachers are up against: 1) Media propaganda wrongly fosters a public attitude of disrespect. 2) Our government has been maneuvering this into a crisis situation from the start. Even the courts found the government guilty of strategizing to provoke a strike (Feb. 2014). 3) The maneuvering seems to be towards an end goal: the two-tier education system. The bottom tier will be free public daycare for all the worker bees, funded by the cash-strapped taxpayers at the bottom and the ever-so-kind and helpful corporations. The top tier will be a proper education reserved exclusively for the rich and a few of the intelligentsia who will serve as the professional class. 4) The type of education the BC Liberals want is increasing numbers and corporate influence, which is really no education at all. The rich get taught, and the rest of us get naught. Canada! Elite, privatized education systems, unions smashed, no more equality for all, intellectual progress stratified, masses stupefied and stupidified. BC would be a shining, globalist example, definitely. But is this the Canadian way? I say, good on teachers for being brave enough to stand up for what is right and just. These are just the type of people you want teaching your kids: you want your kids to learn to stand up for themselves and others. What kind of pathetic, envious worm would whine and moan if the teachers want a little more money to combat inflation and years of wage stagnation? Who doesn’t want to get paid more, especially for more work? Instead of trolling these forums, get out and pressure your company for a bigger share of the pie or start your own company and support other local businesses.

      Paul.

      Aug 30, 2014 at 11:39pm

      Inspired thinking? A little more imagination?

      It's too late now, the voters have spoken.