Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC

The biggest teachers' dispute in BC's history is over and it's time to reflect on lessons learned. Certainly, those in the Premier's office are still trying to figure out what happened. In a dispute where the government was convinced that strike-bound classrooms would turn public support against teachers, the results were the exact opposite. Close to two-thirds of British Columbians supported teachers in their fight for better classroom learning conditions, even though that fight had been deemed illegal by the BC courts and had kept kids out of school for over two weeks.

 

Only twelve days into the new legislative session in Victoria and it's clear that the next four years is going to be a steady uphill climb for FPSE members and others in BC's labour movement. Whether it was their lackluster throne speech, their mini-budget gift to the province's business community or the legislatively-imposed contract on BC teachers, BC Liberals have shown little evidence that they heard the message that voters sent loud and clear on May 17th.

Here we are again at the beginning of a new educational year. I want to welcome new members of FPSE locals and to acknowledge those whose ongoing work makes our federation strong at the provincial and local levels.

It is fitting that we begin the year with a celebration of Labour Day. I know that many FPSE members participated in rallies and events in their communities. This year, we focused on workers who are locked out at CBC and Telus as well as striking workers at Tech Cominco. We will continue to support them in their struggles for fair collective agreements.

We began this year with a name change and the excitement that this entails. We had a new logo, a new look and an opportunity to reintroduce ourselves to the media. It was an energizing way to begin what would be a hectic year.

Because it was a bargaining year and because of the provincial election, most of our resources were devoted to provincial and local bargaining and political action, as well as our ongoing mission to support local associations in their work.

The BC Provincial Election is off and running - to nobody's surprise. There is something about having a fixed date for an election that robs it of the writ-dropping drama we are accustomed to.

There's an election coming and the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators is getting involved.

We asked our members what they thought about the issues, the record of the BC Government on education and other issues, and the level of political involvement they want to see from their organizations. The answers were pretty clear.

We are currently facing campaigns and battles on many fronts as post-secondary educators. I know that we sometimes wonder if the struggles are worth it, given the time and resources that they can take. There's nothing like a little victory to re-energize us and this commentary is about one such victory.

A recent decision of the BC Supreme Court confirming the advisory role of Education Councils in Colleges and Institutes under the 1996 College and Institute Act should be taken to heart by administrators and faculty associations throughout the province.

WE ALL BEGIN THE NEW YEAR with a strong sense of the importance of friends and allies and a reminder of how quickly our world can change. The tragedy which has unfolded in Southeast Asia over the past several weeks also reminds us all that we must care for one another as individuals, as unions and as nations.

We ended the 2004 year at the BC Federation of Labour convention - where hundreds of trade unionists came together to debate and discuss the major issues of the day and to decide on future strategy.

How would you spend $4.5 billion? While it may be harder this year to get in the door to answer the question, this is the 2005 budget question.

It's that time of year again when the BC Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services - a committee of the BC Legislature - traverses the province to hear British Columbians' views on the 2005 provincial budget. This year, as in past years, many FPSE locals have sought to participate, as we did at the provincial level. But there are two significant differences with this year's consultation.

AS EDUCATORS, WE LOOK FORWARD to September as a time for reconnecting with old friends and getting a jump on the new school year's course work. We expect a barrage of back-toschool ads on the radio, television and in the newspapers and we prepare for excitement and exhaustion of another school year.

This back-to-school season is the last one before the next provincial election and features a series of slick BC government ads designed to convince us that B.C.'s post secondary education system is in better shape than ever. I have a mixed reaction to the ads.