Wednesday May 28, 2014 www.saobserver.net $1.25 GST Included
Parking peeves motorists By Lachlan Labere OBSeRVeR STAFF
Frustration-levels were high around the Inner core Parking lot last week as monthly pass holders found the lot filled with newcomers. Shuswap children’s Association executive director June Stewart said that on two occasions over the past week her employees were unable to use the association’s parking passes for the Inner core lot as all the spaces were full. “We pay for four or five passes in the back here – have done it for years,” said Stewart. “We have one spot that’s actually designated and that one is fine. You pay extra for that, like $35 a month. But the rest are all $25-a-month passes, and twice this week we have not been able to park.” Stewart says the sudden increase in vehicles at the Inner core correlates with the recent changeover from free to paid parking at the city’s Hudson Avenue Parking lot, adjacent to the Salmar Grand. “I expect there will be a bunch of spots open up (at the Hudson lot)… I don’t think they’ve thought about the implication of people wanting to park closer to work,” said Stewart. city bylaw officer Marcel Bedard, who also plays an advisory role on the city’s downtown Parking commission, concurs. “We weren’t expecting people to move up and, when you think about it, hmm, it makes sense,” said Bedard. “If I’ve got to pay, I might as well park a block closer.” Bedard said the issue and potential solutions will be reviewed at next month’s parking commission meeting. In the interim, the city has decided to allow Inner core pass holders to park at the Hudson lot, while putting a freeze on the release of new monthly passes for the Inner core. “The city will not be issuing any new monthly passes for the Inner core Parking lot at this time. However, the city will renew monthly passes for those individuals or companies who currently have passes which are set to expire,” confirmed city engineering and public works director Rob niewenhuizen via email. Stewart, however, argues her staff should be able to park where they’ve paid to park. “I have loads of part-time people, so they come in, first-come, first-served for the passes and they See Drivers on page A2
JameS mUrray/OBSeRVeR
Seeking support: Teachers Aaron Smith, Colleen Craig, Kira Limber, Marlee Penner and Erin Chow take part in a rotating strike held Tuesday morning outside Shuswap Middle School.
Teachers take to the streets Bargaining: Rotating strike prompts government lockout. By Chelsea Grainger OBSeRVeR STAFF
The B.c. government responded to the strike action that School district #83 has participated in by issuing a partial lockout to teachers in the province. The lockout, which was issued on May 26, prevents teachers from being at work prior to 45 minutes before classes begin and no later than 45 minutes after classes are dismissed. Teachers will also be unable to provide supervision to students during the lunch hour and recess. The B.c. Teachers Federation made the decision to proceed with rotating strikes across the province as they have been at the bargaining table for the past 16 months, asking the government for smaller class sizes, more support for students and a salary increase of 13.75 per cent over the next four years.
This week The mystery of the lethal 1918 influenza may be solved, thanks to a local man. See A9. Salmon Arm Secondary students take flight with Peter Pan. See page A23.
Teachers in School district #83, who were behind picket lines on Tuesday, say they are also taking action because the district has seen $650,000 in budget cuts that directly relate to teachers and service levels for the 2014-2015 school year. The strikes are part of a two-stage plan that was voted on in March and began with teachers decreasing their administrative and supervisory duties. “Teachers in our community, like teachers across B.c., don’t take this job action lightly,” said Brenda O’dell, president of the north Okanagan-Shuswap Teachers’ Association. “As teachers, we care deeply about our students and we empathize with parents who have to re-work their schedules. Many of us are parents, too, and that is one of the reasons we are taking this action.” Teachers who walked off the job had
their pay cut by 10 per cent by the province, and although the rotating strikes are scheduled to end by Friday, teachers are prepared to continue if a resolution isn’t reached. The B.c. government doesn’t have any plans to legislate a settlement in the near future and offered a 6.5 per cent pay hike over six years and a $1,200 signing bonus if an agreement is reached by the end of June. BcTF rejected their offer. “We want the BcTF to come to the table with a wage response that is reasonable and within the zone of other public sector unions,” said education Minister Peter Fassbender. “We expect them to come with something that is affordable for taxpayers.” Although not restricted by the lockout, extracurricular activities such as See Unknown on page A2
Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point .................. A7 Life & Times ............... A8 Time Out................... A12 Sports................A19-A22 Arts & Events ... A23-A26 Vol. 107, No. 22, 44 pages