I just came back from a meeting of the school district support staff union. Support for students, especially those with special needs will be in limbo when the new school year starts in September.
The school district violated the labour code as well as the collective agreement by not giving the union 60 days notice before sending out lay-off notices to a significant number of support staff. The union management was in meetings with school district during the past few days and so far the district has not acknowledged making any mistakes and is refusing to issue the required notice now so things can move ahead. The union is now applying to the Labour Relations Board.
So the postings for the special needs students that had to move to new schools are not being filled because no postings can be filled over the summer.
Interestingly, realizing that perhaps they did not follow the right procedure school district administration was suddenly able to find enough money to offer the 38 or so laid off staff a “minimum” of two weeks severance pay, but the union didn’t go for that carrot.
Makes me wonder where they found all that money when they listed almost every penny they had to cut back due to the budget shortfall.
What are the actual numbers? 38 support staff laid off? How many teachers as well?
This was aired a while ago, could not understand how if you had say 250 kids from the two closed schools transferring to other schools how you could eliminate such a high number of teachers and care aides? Those that need assistance are still going to be in the school system?? If I was a parent of a child who needed some care aide help ( one one one) this year I would certainly be making myself known at the board office. These kids are going to be hit the hardest … less teachers + less aides = same amount of kids it makes no sense to me. I don’t work in the school system but it just doesn’t make sense. The board at least the three I have questioned have no rational answer for this. I understand that there would be some jobs lost due to attrition and class amalgamation but this is totally askew 4o teachers and 38 child care workers. I feel very sorry for everyone that is a teacher or a care aide but especially the kids, this mess won’t be sorted out till December I reckon. I hope we all remember this when the next provincial election rolls around oh I forgot we will have a new roof on BC Place though!
" could not understand how if you had say 250 kids from the two closed schools transferring to other schools how you could eliminate such a high number of teachers and care aides? . . . I understand that there would be some jobs lost due to attrition and class amalgamation but this is totally askew 4o teachers and 38 child care workers."
That’s because those layoffs have little to do with the school closures and rather lack of funding from the provincial government. They took the $3 million worth of teacher pay increases out of the district operating funding formulas. I’m not blaming the teachers, but Gordo is certainly trying to cast aspertions in their direction.
Slight misconception or a play on phrases whichever. The actual money not being funded to the district is a result of a declining enrollment grant which has been funded to 99 percent of the previous years budget. This year the gov’t has told a number of districts the amont will only be funded to 95 percent. Strangely enough the amount is the same as the public sector benefits and raises negotiated at a provincial session for support staffs.
The boards initial comment was that it was the gov’t not funding the raises and benifits which sheds a darkish light on the employee groups. Poor choice of words in my opinion, sort of like smoke and mirrors…
As for total numbers, the support staff will be reduced the equivalant of 30 fte. Which is a combination of reduced hours and full layoffs. The teachers will not be 40 as posted. Administration was reduced a minor amount but pay attention closely to the wording used, “administration TIME will be reduced”. Basically meaning they will be doing more teaching time (taking teachers classroom time) but still be paid administrative rates for the whole day. Imagine the teacher/admin across the hall making a hell of alot more than a regular teacher for doing the exact same job.
Bottom line, kids at risk become even more so, kids on the edge of risk become at risk and your ever day average kid slowly get lost. This is by no means a shot at teachers, who in actuality have been given more to do with substantially less resources.
Just as a side note to all this, it is amazing to see how many of our senior staff/administration are leaving the district.
Yes it is amazing the exodus of Admin staff leaving SD 52. I find it ironic that the teachers wages were approved by GORDO et al and the school boards were told that the funds would be covered. Yet this amount is the same dollar amount not in the current school budgets? I think this is called creative accounting 101! Sucks at any rate, the mess will not be sorted before November I reckon. I wonder what money will actually be saved when you add all the changes in , admin staff teaching but beng paid admin $$, bussing costs, $$ that will inevitably be paid out to staff as in lieu because of improper bumping and layoffs occuring. A mighty fine mess it will be!