So now they want peace

So now they want peace
by Andy Wilson, a secondary teacher in Ottawa.

Leaders from the four education workers' unions met with Ontario's next premier, Kathleen Wynne, just yesterday. Right now the focus is not on restoring education workers' collective bargaining rights, but on finding a way to bring back "extra-curricular" activities to Ontario's public schools.

Extra-curriculars are pretty nice. Students get clubs and sports and enriching activities for free (or nearly free) and these activities can contribute to enhancing a student's experience. Everyone understands the value in these activities, so when they disappear, it's natural for all of us to feel a little distressed at children across the province losing something that's important to them.

So, let's get those activities back, right? Ok. Here's what you need to do: respect the collective bargaining process. It'd be really easy. Take the OECTA MOU and all the changes that have happened to it until now, include all the other unaffected provisions from the last collective agreement, and put it to a vote to the workers. This is what is supposed to be the legal process. Poof - the teacher's best argument ("We want our democratic rights!") would become moot.

Ok, so education workers vote on the working conditions that were already imposed on them. If they vote "yes," then we're done! Teachers, even those who voted against the contract, would respect the democratic vote and would feel comfortable demonstrating their good will by returning to extra-curricular activities. If they vote "no," - well, I'll admit, things get a bit more complicated, but hear me out.

So they vote no. That means they strike. Oh my gosh! A strike at the schools! Won't someone PLEASE think of the children?? Well, sure. But a strike isn't gonna cause anyone extreme or irreparable harm. I went through a two week withdrawal of services when I was in grade 11 and I turned out ok. And we have to remember that a full walkout is a very blunt weapon not to be used willy-nilly - OSSTF engaged in minor forms of strike action for most of December. My students didn't even notice.

But maybe it does come to a strike (or a lockout), and a full withdrawal of services. Let's say schools are closed for, say, three days. What would happen? Well, either people from all walks of like will start screaming at the gov't to end the crisis by giving into some demands, or people will scream at the unions to suck it up, take the contract strips, and get back to work. What's more likely, of course, is you'll get a mixture of both.

So the labour disruption drags on. Schools haven't been open for two weeks. Workers have been the focus of vicious attacks in the media, and they're out a paycheque (strike pay doesn't cover too much). If the strikers don't have the resolve to continue job action (if they don't think they're fight is worth it, or it becomes clear they don't have public support) then the union will be forced to go back to negotiations and agree to concessions. If the union doesn't, scabs will start going to work. The union would crumble - and the union won't ever let that happen.

Ok, so what if the workers DO keep up the job action? (because they think it's worth it, and the public is on their side). Well, then maybe the government is wrong, and they need to come back to negotiations and agree to settle their differences with the workers. I won't get into what that deal might look like (I've gone into that in previous posts anyways), but the point is, the government can find ways to make enough concessions to get the workers back to work if they have to.

The whole point is that, if education workers' collective bargaining rights were respected, we'd have a resolution to this conflict within a month. People won't stand for a strike or lockout to continue for more than a couple weeks. This isn't the NHL. Citizens won't stand for their children to be out of school for too long - and workers and employers will listen.

The only thing that will ensure disruption in Ontario's schools for years to come is the continual suspension of education workers' collective bargaining rights. Force them to work under an imposed contract, and you'll have disruptions like the loss of voluntary activities until a new contract is negotiated and voted upon. Respect workers' collective bargaining rights, and you'd have a solution inside of a month. It won't be easy as we deal with strikes and/or lockouts, but democracy isn't very easy either. And we don't suspend democracy every time we have a deficit.

Response to Jerry Agar's “Teachers’ tantrum punishes kids”

RESPONSE TO JERRY AGAR COLUMN OTTAWA SUN JAN 22

“Teachers’ tantrum punishes kids”

Dear Mr Agar,

Your column cries out for response, reaction, and revision. Let’s start with your catchy title. It should not merely trot out tired old accusations, but should also include reference to at least one other side in this complex issue – how about “Government’s Rigid Intransigence Punishes Everyone”?

Your opening paragraph (which comes perilously close to being a run on sentence) presents the premise of a promise which was broken – by the teachers, of course, since no one else connected with this ongoing tragedy of errors ever ever does that sort of thing. We often attach another label to those who break promises: liars.

Then, having led your readers to make a connection between liar and teacher, you get to your real meaning (because, after all, when you look at this ongoing situation honestly, teachers have not lied at all – something which cannot be also said about some of the other parties involved): the sense of promise which usually accompanies the start of a school year.

Teachers made it very clear right from the beginning of the “negotiations”, when the government sent bankruptcy lawyers to present a set of absolute conditions, that despite this despotic and despicable governmental approach, their desire as well as their intention was to be in the classroom for the start of the school year. For that reason, strike related actions were cancelled well before school opening. Teachers made it clear that the threatened legislation was therefore not necessary, but that they could not and would not simply accept the elimination of collective bargaining.

The government chose to ignore this and to move ahead with its threatening agenda. By prematurely committing funding only at the levels consistent with a bill that had not even been passed yet (arrogance, under the banner of sound financial planning - something which the McGuinty government does not have any moral basis to claim), the provincial Liberals laid the groundwork for a major confrontation with OSSTF and ETFO.

This government was determined to bully instead of bargain. Perhaps there was a slight miscalculation concerning the resolve of the teachers, especially in light of the ease with which OECTA not only caved in to provincial pressure but also denied its own members the opportunity to ratify or reject.

The weight of this column’s righteous indignation is staggering. For some reason, teachers are deemed to be “teaching character” only if and when they submit. The argument to support the concept of lawfully standing up for beliefs as a means to oppose a bill so likely to be struck down that its very authors intend to repeal it as also a lesson in character is just as compelling.

And that is what the teachers are doing: opposing legally. The OLRB deemed the planned day of political protest to be strike action (in a ridiculously swift determination) – therefore, it was cancelled. Teachers are being admonished to pursue the legal option only. Many don’t have the 4 or so years such a legal process could take.

The actions of the teachers are in keeping with their legal job descriptions. If certain columnists don’t like that, their next column could be dedicated to suggesting that these laws be changed. Oh, wait a minute, no need: Mr Hudak is already talking up that angle.

Legislating job descriptions to include extra curricular activities will do serious damage to what has been such a wonderful part of the high school experience for so many years. The suggestion to pay teachers extra for extras will open up a can of worms which will make Pandora’s box look like an X-box.

Without a doubt, the withdrawing of extra curricular activities was a decision that was not taken easily, quickly, or lightly. There really were not a lot of other choices. Response options were very limited in the face of governmental intransigence.

Students’ responses have been wide and varied. Of course many of them are angry. And given the restrictions upon teachers regarding discussing the issue in the classroom, it is not surprising that some students feel teachers are taking it out on them. It is at this point that responsible journalists could contribute to the solution rather than fan the flames of the problem by producing fairer and more balanced articles.

Because to suggest that teachers are “mad at the world” is just plain silly. Teachers came to what was supposed to be a bargaining table with ideas and suggestions and options and a willingness to take up to a four year wage freeze. They were frozen alright – right out of the collective bargaining process. Facing a wage cut and slashed benefits, along with the loss of the right to collectively bargain, just does not qualify as being miffed at not getting “100% of what they wanted”.

Regarding the “reports that the teachers who are going back…are being shunned… by other teachers”, the truth is that “there are reports” about a lot of things. Negative press is sexier than the boring old positive stuff. There could just as easily be reference made to “reports” about the large number of teachers who are upset about the unfortunate need at this time to maintain the withdrawl of extra curricular activities. Obviously the reference to “too many teachers” is a tacit recognition of the fact that it is indeed the majority who are standing up to the government and behind the unions’ positions.

And calling teachers a “gaggle of greedy grasping wage earners” is somewhat like referring to certain SUN columnists as a den of dreary duplicitous word mongers.

Jeff Kanter
Secondary teacher
Ottawa

Open letter to fellow teachers

Sometimes I find it hard to tell people what I think, especially if the discussion isn't a comfortable one. Using an open letter maybe isn’t as good as multiple face-to-face conversations, but writing does have its merits. There are two things I want to talk about: voluntary participation in the grade eight parent night, and the rally outside of the Liberal leadership convention in Toronto yesterday.

So first is the grade eight parent night. For those teachers, and especially department heads, who chose not to volunteer their time for what is obviously not a required part of the job: THANK YOU. It really means a lot to me that you chose to stand in solidarity with your fellow teachers and send a signal to everyone that you will not back down when our collective bargaining rights are suspended. I know you care about your programs and would rather participate in the information evening and connect with parents, and I know it wasn’t easy to resist pressure from administration to be there. Thank you for not breaking solidarity. For those teachers who did attend the grade 8 night: I don’t understand what you were thinking. I don’t think that participation is a necessary part of the job, and I think that breaking solidarity with your colleagues is short-sighted, selfish, and counter-productive. Sure, it feels good to sell our programs to parents and help administration put on a good show, and it’s easier to cave in to pressure from your boss than to resist, but what’s more important is taking a stand in solidarity with your colleagues. On the other hand, please don’t take my criticism too harshly. I will continue to support all members even if they break solidarity, and I’m more interested in building future solidarity than dwelling on past disagreements. I want to work together, rather than start to let disagreements divide our membership - but I can’t help but speak up when something is bothering me.

Next is the rally at the Liberal leadership convention in Toronto on January 26th. To those who gave up an entire Saturday to go to Toronto and back to participate in a massive protest in support of collective bargaining rights: THANK YOU! I can’t describe the feeling I had when I was surrounded by over 30,000 people demonstrating for workers’ rights. To those who didn’t come: why didn’t you? We had a great time! It was fun! Sure, we sat on a bus twice as long as we spent in Toronto demonstrating, but we had a good time! I got to meet a lot of people, have a lot of laughs, and I spent a few hours on a wonderful winter day in a park in downtown Toronto surrounded by union supporters (and, I even managed to mark a bunch of exams on the bus!). It was awesome. I know it’s hard to give up a weekend day during exams, and I know we all have reasons not to go, but I really missed many of my colleagues. I wish you were there on the bus with me. Like the last paragraph, I don’t want people to feel that I’m upset with them for not coming - sure I’m a bit disappointed, but I really just want to let you know that you were missed. It would have been better if you could have found the time to demonstrate with us.

That’s all I have to say for today! For those of you who went to the grade eight night, and/or decided to stay home instead of come out to protest with your fellow workers, I really hope you think about what effect your decisions have on the rest of us. It’s hard to keep up the fight for our rights when so many of us seem to want to do little more than sit on the sidelines. I need your support to continue to fight for our right to a negotiated contract, and I ask that you think hard about your decisions in the future.

In solidarity,
Andy Wilson.

Sun's Future Less Than Sunny - For Teachers

This letter by Jeff Kanter, a secondary teacher in Ottawa, is a response to an Ottawa Sun editorial, dated January 22nd.

Here we go…another OTTAWA SUN editorial that screams out for response. And that is exactly the kind of reaction one is inclined to make after reading articles, columns, and editorials which appear in this publication.

The Jan 23 HUDAK SCHOOLS HIS OPPONENTS one is a hoot. In addition to having one of those oh so cutesy titles (for another example of that kind of trite bon mot, see title above), its main argument seems to be that the Progressive Conservatives are the only ones capable of ‘taking on’ the teachers’ unions.

The Liberals, it seems, will be ‘sucking up’ to the teacher unions because they will be so desperate to make up with these mean evil wicked rotten nasty union folks once a new leader is chosen. The editorial goes on to describe the past several months as a “lovers’ quarrel” (half right, except that only one of the two sides got screwed) and summarizes thusly: “…which imposed contracts, froze salaries and reduced some benefits.” Interesting choice of words. How about ‘which arbitrarily and summarily imposed working conditions (since, to my knowledge, nothing got signed, it cannot be called a contract), forced wage CUTS onto the teachers in the form of unpaid days, and SLASHED benefits’??

Our intrepid SUN editor is essentially claiming that only Mr Hudak’s party will raise itself above the groveling Liberals and NDP, who will both be trying to attract teacher support (insert: election funding). Given recent events, I am really really really trying to imagine what the new provincial Liberal leader could possibly say that would have any positive impact whatsoever on any teacher, other than he/she is going to actually repeal Bill 115 (not the phony grandstanding ploy being presently touted by Ms Broten and Mr McGuinty - you remember him, he used to have a role in the government?) and reinstate genuine collective bargaining; that sort of thing would actually grab the attention of just about every teacher here in the public sector of the province.

He goes on to claim that the Progressive Conservatives are advocating making report card writing and parent-teacher interviews mandatory. Honestly, dude, I cannot think of too many actual teachers who would actually have an actual problem with this. Ideally, it should not have to be legislated; traditionally, it has never gotten to the point where this has been an issue. It is only because of the present government’s unyielding irresponsible approach that what was always freely offered (ie the time for both of those practices) has had to be reconsidered.

But the real issue is, of course, those pesky extra curricular activities. These are completely voluntary; these countless hours, far and away much more time-consuming than report cards or interviews are available to students because of the fundamental good will and interest and commitment of teachers. Up until now, we have managed to avoid the trap of the American system, which has a complex and inconsistent method of compensation for teachers who provide these services.

Giving principals the power to reward teachers who do more in their schools has merit; unfortunately, it also establishes a framework in which to open up a potentially nasty can of worms, in which principals are then encouraged to pressure their teachers to take on all sorts of extras, something which younger teachers might obviously find difficult to refuse.

But I also state here and now that, as a teacher who has dedicated thousands of hours to extra curricular activities, I would never anticipate or expect extra compensation in exchange for this. In fact, I am uncomfortable with the idea. My motivation has always been desire. If any governing body were to suddenly and peremptorily decide that I HAD to do these activities, then it would become a very different matter.

The editorial inevitably returns to the big bad mean old teachers’ unions and especially their nasty rotten scoundrel leaders, who are being taken to task for basically doing their jobs. Union leaders are chosen by union members and are charged with the responsibility of advocating on their behalf. When governments (and their lackeys) enact horrific legislation that attempts to cripple what would otherwise be standard union actions along with eliminating the democratic rights of those unions’ members, there is going to be consequence.

The accusation that unions were going to fine members for non compliance with toeing the line is a murky issue, especially since that practice has not been strictly (or even loosely) applied. Leaders of organizations need SOME recourse to sanction recalcitrant members of their brother/sister hood. Why, it could even be suggested that political leaders have all sorts of little tricks and pressures to aim at individuals within their ranks who do not always toe the party line. And to suggest that the name and shame tactic is going to destroy the career of a teacher who is only “refusing to use his or her students as pawns in a labour dispute” is a moronic oversimplification, but that is an argument for another day.

An Optimistic Prediction

An Optimistic Prediction
by Andy Wilson, a secondary teacher in Ottawa.

I don't usually offer optimistic predictions, but I think I'll try.

Here's what could happen regarding education workers in Ontario:

First, the Liberals choose a new leader, and Ontario gets a Premier again. One of the first things the new Premier does is rescind the imposed working conditions implemented through Bill 115. Next, school boards and unions return to free collective bargaining based on the August 2012 contracts. The government can increase funding to the boards a bit, since the deficit came in $3 billion less than forecast. Teachers immediately resume extra-curriculars and education workers' unions can plan on taking no strike action for the rest of the school year. Teachers can get back to working under their last negotiated agreement, and the negotiators can get to work. They'll have plenty of time to find a deal by the end of the year, and if not, then a strike or lockout will loom over the  summer - providing even more pressure to find a deal.
Win, win, win, win - right? The Liberals get to mend fences with education workers and get schools back on track, education workers get their collective bargaining rights back, students get back their extra-curricular activities, and parents can stop worrying so much about chaos in Ontario's schools.

Again, maybe I'm a bit optimistic, but I suppose it could happen.

TEACHERS HAVE IT SO SO SO TOO TOO TOO EASY???

TEACHERS HAVE IT SO SO SO TOO TOO TOO EASY???

by Jeff Kanter, a secondary teacher in Ottawa.

I have just read a letter to the editor in today’s OTTAWA SUN (just to clarify, while it is not my policy to support idiots, it is still instructive to know where they stand). In this one, the writer (or as I suspect in this case, the printer) hurled out the old accusation: teachers are underworked whiners with an almost non - existent work day.

It is really difficult to resist the urge to reply in kind, but, with tongue loosely planted in cheek, I will attempt to avoid sinking to his level. It is even more challenging to totally ignore the inevitable editorial addition to this bottom feeder’s assertions, in which the erstwhile SUN staffer so assiduously pointed out that the teachers are not done complaining yet.

I would like to invite this individual to sit down with me for a frank and earnest exchange of views on the present situation involving the teachers and their struggles with the provincial politburo, I mean, government. He could bring a dictionary as long as I am allowed a few bodyguards.

But it seems to me, that for this dude, there is no need for a crisis in education for him to gleefully join in the chorus of those who feel the need to trash teachers. I have to wonder which of his teachers either made him stand in the corner (for bullying perhaps?) or disciplined him when he wasn’t paying attention (often perhaps?) or just got on his nerves (“annoying” has become the new catchword for just about everything that is negative in any way). Of course, he may have arrived at these conclusions all on his own.

It is tempting to wonder what this fellow does for a living, but, truth told, I don’t really care. Given that teacher trashers are from a wide variety of backgrounds and perform a range of functions on the job chart, one can only conclude that the only real requirement to join this classless anti-class club is a strong sense of closed mindedness. Low tolerance is an asset, but not a necessity.

He has every right to his opinion – and full respect for having it – no matter how wrong and stupid it may be.

Silence is often interpreted as assent; therefore, I must reply to this guy. Do I care if HE ever reads this? Nope. He is not the person whom I hope to reach because he appears beyond that pale; but if one other person, perhaps a reader of his published perspective, can be prevailed upon to wade through all THIS, and at least admit to the possibility of another point of view that has some truth or logic, then our work here today will have been not for naught.

Teachers are appropriately paid for what they do. Their benefits are appropriate, too. They did not establish the framework / hours of instruction for the school day. They established unions lawfully and peacefully and have been bargaining collectively and somewhat more successfully, it would seem, than the NHL players association of late. But that is all peripheral.

Teachers may teach short hours but they work long hours. A class is somewhat like dealing with 25 + demanding clients all at the same time in the same place. And to dismiss preparation and parental contact and marking and participation in extra curricular outright is an outrageous miscomprehension of teaching. And yes, there ARE those teachers who have figured out how to work the gig to their advantage, but that is true of any workplace. However, in my experience (almost 40 years in two cities and 7 schools) those folks are the exception while the vast majority of my colleagues are exceptional in terms of their dedication, their hard work, their integrity, their commitment, and their work ethic.

The actual time spent in actively teaching classes is INDEED the smallest part of the day for many teachers. Our educational Einsteinian evaluator must think that at the moment the actual class ends, the teacher is finished working. Sadly, nothing, I am afraid, would convince him otherwise. Only first hand experience, actually seeing what it is like to teach, would have any impact. Anyone who has ever taught is now free to giggle at the image of this gentleman trying to keep up with any teacher from K-12.

Better get after all those professional athletes, then. After all, using our friend’s convoluted thought processes, the hockey player whose actual time on ice might be ten minutes per game and who might play three games in a week is therefore earning around half a million bucks for, what, half an hour of actual work for the entire week!

Others have spent much time and energy listing the many things that make teaching such a challenging and time consuming profession. The message to our friend here today is come see for himself what a teacher really and actually does over the course of a day or two hundred. For that matter, would that he could also see for himself what many teachers do on their weekends, their evenings, and what is left of their evenings after their play rehearsals or coaching gigs or club activities. The number who do use time in the summer for upgrading teaching credentials is impressive. If some do travel or just relax during that time, they have surely earned either.

Teachers, whose work is important but not valued by some in government and the public, are now being faced with draconian attacks on basic democratic rights.

Buddy, and the faceless editorial staff member who added that silly rejoinder after the letter: teachers are not only going to continue opposing illegal legislation and unprecedented attacks on our profession, for what it could mean to many others if they do not, that is exactly what they should be doing.

March for Change on Saturday January 26!

[This link is re-published as suggested from http://twileshare.com/adef]
[The full version is available here: http://twileshare.com/adeh]

March for Change on Saturday January 26!
(Brad Marsh)
Abstract
The government’s best kept secrets are starting to be told.  The unravelling of our once
decent and socially responsible society is firmly underway.  Many examples are
provided below to illustrate how our education system, monetary policies, health care
system, the environment and manufacturing infrastructure are all under attack from
bankers and corporations by using our own elected representatives.

The ultimate insult to every Canadian in this truly unprecedented attack on the
education sector is the temporary suspension of the Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms.   Benjamin Franklin was clearly warning us: those that can give up liberty for
a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.  Government malfeasance
accurately describes this intrusion on the Charter.  McGuinty and Broten try and make it
sound justifiable, but don’t be fooled.  Canadians need to remember that the Charter is
the glue that holds us together and the platform on which our democracy rests.  Without
it we are lost.  The Canadians who wrote it and fought for it are beseeching us now to
protect it!

I hear people say, “Things aren’t that bad”.  This view is understandable only in the
context of mainstream media.  We must start looking outside our major news channels
to find more of the truth.  Dictatorships are controlled by force and democracies are
controlled by media.1 Make no mistake, media has the bulk of people on the planet so
distracted, the oligarchs are running wild.  In Ontario, our only chance to regain a
legitimate democracy is to inform the public about the facts.  Democracy only works
when people make decisions based on all of the information available and not just
preselected snippets on the six o’clock news.

Listed below are facts and sources that I hope will begin to spark a paradigm shift in
your understanding of the malevolent forces that are shaping our country.  People are
beginning to see through the often rosy and biased picture painted in the media.  We
are experiencing the lower standards of living, decreasing maternity leaves, low wage
jobs and an increase in poverty and sickness.  On a larger scale the financial crises,
war mongering and environmental devastation need to cease.  Change must start now
because the ruling elite rarely stop and don’t care much about human hardship.  We’ll
have to fight them together and probably with dissent.  And they’re coming after the
pensions too – nothing is safe.  Eventually they will come for it all, and it’s probably
closer than you think.

I urge you to fight with everything you’ve got to help rid ourselves of this tyrannical profit
over people regime(s) before we lose a lot more than we already have.

All Canadian citizens should be marching against this government from Allan
Gardens on Saturday January 26 @ 12:00 PM to the Liberal Leadership
Convention.  Don’t miss it for anything!

1. http://www.lovepeoplenotmoney.com/chomsky.html