BCTF focusing on teacher recruitment ahead of collective bargaining process

The Supreme Court of Canada ruling on class size and composition opened up some new positions, which meant many on-call or substitute teachers accepted full time employment.

Hansman says that has created some gaps in the system.

“It’s meant that there aren’t enough people on a day-to-day basis to replace people when they’re sick,” he said. “That means students with special needs go without their support, ESL programs get disrupted, there’s a lot of scrambling every day in the school to cover the holes, and that’s really demoralizing for our members, and it’s frustrating for both parents and students who are entitled to those supports.”

Hansman says it’s an issue that needs to be resolved before the collective bargaining process begins, adding low starting salaries has challenged efforts to attract teachers to the province.

“B.C. and Quebec have the worst starting salaries. For those of us at the top end we’re sort of low-middle of the pack. So, there’s a long way to go. Alberta, our neighbouring province, I would be earning $20,000 more per year for doing the same job.”

by Jill Sperling

BCTF focusing on teacher recruitment ahead of collective bargaining process

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