RESULTS ARE IN FOR THE INTERLAKES RODEO 31 AUGUST 14, 2013
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RED NECK RACERS
OTTERS ATTACK WOMAN IN LOCAL LAKE 3
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REC CENTRE WAITING FOR NEW SEATS 6
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The team of Deb Eiriksson, at front, Tracy MacAloney, Mert MacAloney and Don Hewitt paddled their handmade cardboard canoe with gusto at the inaugural Red Neck Regatta at Ruth Lake near Forest Grove on Aug. 11. The team won the race and raised the most money. See more photos on page 21 and in Friday’s Cariboo Connector.
Trustees ousted from direct negotiations Teacher contract bargaining placed under administrator
Carole Rooney Free Press
The B.C. Liberal government has made a bold move in education bargaining toward its mandate to secure a 10-year agreement with the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF). Trustees will now have a diminished, indirect role in negotiations after the recent appointment of Michael Marchbank as public administrator for the B.C Public School Employers Association (BCPSEA). Cariboo Chilcotin Teachers’ Association (CCTA) president Murray Helmer, who recently took over reins, says he believes the current negotiations were
causing government “dis- Fassbender says it is a temtress” because they didn’t porary move until such help pursue its 10-year deal time as the necessary legplan. islation is implemented to “I think the government restructure the bargaining wasn’t overly pleased that process, once the legislature BCPSEA and the is back in session. BCTF were making That restructuring progress without will give governthem involved. ment a direct role in “So, I assume this negotiating agreemove is meant to ments with the sort of dismantle BCTF. BCPSEA and put Now, trustees will MURRAY the current negotiamove to the “imporHELMER tions on hold.” tant” - but advisory Marchbank, chief – role, the minister executive officer of the Health adds, as the appointment Employers’ Association of of a public administrator B.C., immediately assumed ends their legal position all responsibilities of the on the BCPSEA board of BCPSEA board of directors directors. at the end of July. The provinEducation Minister Peter cial government is
undertaking this change as a method to advance its plans to restructure the kindergartenGrade 12 bargaining process and its mandate to secure a long-term deal with the BCTF when bargaining resumes in September, he notes. Fassbender adds the government will be working with the B.C. School Trustees Association (BCSTA) to “fully canvass school boards” on the reforms to BCPSEA’s role. However, Helmer says the trustees are the single elected group involved, who have now been “unilaterally removed” from the process. “I worry that, if government can do that in
negotiations, maybe they will just eliminate trustees from future elected positions and assume all running of school districts, perhaps.” A two-year contract extension and governmentimposed wage freeze for teachers expired at the end of June. Helmer says he would like to see all bargaining already underway come to some kind of a conclusion, hopefully with successful negotiations. “Then, if the whole process has to be changed, do that after the fact rather than in the middle of an ongoing negotiation process.” Continued on 3