I N FO R M AT I O N BU L L ET IN

2012EDUC0019-000236 March 3, 2012 BCTF Claims and Facts British Columbia Teachers Federation Claim 700 fewer Special Needs teachers FACT 2,100 additional special needs teaching assistants in B.C. classrooms. B.C. teachers salary plus benefits is fourthbest among provinces. A decade of continual increases in funding with record funding levels this year. Seniority remains key factor but qualifications also considered. Math teachers teaching Math; Science teachers teaching Science. A 15 per cent wage increase is completely unreasonable, given the current economic reality. Teachers union demands would cost $2 billion, which would raise taxes on all B.C. families. Class-size caps on all grades with exceptions made by principals and superintendents. 130 net-zero agreements negotiated. 25,000 K-12 CUPE employees reached net zero agreement. Teachers received a 16 per cent wage increase; $3,700 signing bonus for their last contract. Of 65,000 classes, fewer than 1,500 have more than 31 students. Fewer than 600 have more than 33 -- most of Ministry of Education

Ninth-best paid in Canada

A decade of cuts to education funding. Seniority eroded under Bill 22 - Education Improvement Act

Contract demands are reasonable

Wage increases are modest

Eliminated class sizes

Reject net-zero wage mandate

Teachers have not been fairly compensated

12,000 overcrowded classes

Teachers want to negotiate a settlement so we can continue to teach our kids. The BC government has refused to negotiate Government has now introduced legislation that does nothing to solve the problem

Government has said no to negotiation on smaller classes for kids. Government has said no negotiation on support for students with special needs There will be no negotiation on even cost of living.

Teachers want real mediation

these are band, choir and theatre. Employers at the table for 1 year, 78 bargaining sessions. 6 months of stage 1 strike action. Bill 22 sets out mediation, implements Learning Improvement Fund, restores right to bargaining on class size, compensation for teachers with class size over 30, among other improvements. False. Bill 22 restores bargaining on class size in 2013. False. BCTF walked away from Learning Improvement Fund discussions last fall. Net zero mandate can make trade offs within contract...e.g., savings from consolidating 60 separate benefit plans could be put into wage increase. Bill 22 sets parameters for successful mediation.

Contact:

Ministry of Education Government Communications and Public Engagement 250 356-5963 (Media Line)

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect

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