After 11 years of bringing you local reporting, the team behind the Vancouver Observer has moved on to Canada's National Observer. You can follow Vancouver culture reporting over there from now on. Thank you for all your support over the years!
Vancouver School Board to Christy Clark: 'Restore $47 million to our budget'
"As you know, the decision of the BC Supreme Court against government has put most, if not all, BC school districts in some level of violation of their collective agreements with teaching staff. "
The Honourable Christy Clark
Premier of British Columbia
Box 9041, Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC
V8W 9E1
The Honourable Peter Fassbender
Minister of Education
PO Box 9045, Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC
V8W 9E2
Dear Premier Clark and Minister Fassbender:
Last night the Vancouver School Board voted to send you an open letter requesting the following:
- Government direct BCPSEA and its appointed negotiator to immediately begin genuine, good-faith bargaining with the BCTF.
- Government assure all school boards that government will take full financial responsibility for any costs arising from grievances, arbitrations and legal actions against boards that are now not in compliance with their collective agreements with teachers due to the recent ruling of the BC Supreme Court.
- Government provide adequate funding to districts to enable them to be in compliance with the collective agreements that are now back in effect.
- Government restore education funding to a level that enables school districts to restore all service levels to the equivalent of those provided in 2002 (see the VBE’s Restoration Budget that was submitted to government in 2013, below), adjusted for enrolment and inflation.
- Government make sincere efforts to bargain a resolution for any retroactive claims for board non-compliance with collective agreements due to Bill 28, 27 or 22.
As you know, the decision of the BC Supreme Court against government has put most, if not all, BC school districts in some level of violation of their collective agreements with teaching staff. This is causing an extreme level of uncertainty in our district as we work through the process of getting into compliance with our agreements as quickly as possible.
We appreciate your prompt attention to these requests so we can return to focusing on supporting teaching and learning in our district and ensuring we are doing the very best to meet the needs of all students.
Sincerely,
Patti Bacchus
Chairperson
Att: VSB Restoration Budget
c: Vancouver MLAs
All BC School Boards, c/o BCSTA
VBE Trustees
Steve Cardwell, Superintendent of Schools
Rick Krowchuk, Secretary Treasurer
Open letter to Christy Clark and Peter Fassbender from the Vancouver School Board
More in News
Speak up about this article on Facebook or Twitter. Do this by liking Vancouver Observer on Facebook or following us @Vanobserver on Twitter. We'd love to hear from you.