Staffroom Confidential blog
Tara Ehrcke
February 25, 2012
On Thursday, Education Minister George Abbott indicated his intention to introduce a "package" of bills next week. It seems that legislating an end to bargaining is only one objective. The package could also include concessions that the government is seeking from the current contract including seniority provisions, job security rights, and due process rights. This is very scary indeed - perhaps a move a la Scott Walker, the Republican governor of Wisconsin who made similar attacks on US teachers.
The "package" could also include the government's response to the Supreme Court of BC ruling that the removal of all class size and class composition provisions in 2002 was illegal and unconstitutional. From the Minister's musings, however, it appears he is preparing to worsen our classroom conditions by removing class size averages and removing guidelines that determine how many students with special needs are in each class.
Such a "package" of bills is appalling. It is an affront to the right to free collective bargaining, the rights of employees to job security and due process rights, and the rights of children to a quality education in reasonable classroom conditions.
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