SHEEP DOG TRIALS A21
SEPTEMBER 10, 2014
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Two Sections, 40 pages
100milefreepress.net
LITTLE GREEN THUMBS
LILLIAN CECIL LEAVES A LEGACY A3
GAS LEAK FORCES DOWNTOWN EVACUATION A12
INSIDE
opinion A8 letters A9 entertainment B3 sports A19 community B1 classifieds A22
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Gaven Crites photo
Lac la Hache Elementary School students Gradie Fry, 11, left, Robin Fry, 10, and Sterling Fry, 10, started growing this pumpkin, the largest at the South Cariboo Fall Fair in 100 Mile House on Sept. 5-6, in mid-June with fellow students as part of a school project. The pumpkin plant was donated by Cariboo Plant Ranch. For more photos of the Fair, turn to B1.
Teachers' labour dispute festers Blame flies both directions in stalemate statements
Carole Rooney Free Press
The time when students are normally returning to school has turned instead into a period fraught with frustration and uncertainty, and teachers on picket lines and classroom doors shut to students. Veteran mediator Vince Ready walked away from recent meetings with the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) and the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA), declaring he remains unable to mediate with the two sides at such an impasse. Meanwhile, finger-pointing has
reached another pinnacle of assigning Helmer says the key issue now is blame for the ongoing labour dispute. government’s refusal to obey a B.C. Education Minister Peter Supreme Court order to restore class Fassbender says the BCTF size and composition. The “made no substantive effort package recently tabled by to get anywhere near the BCPSEA has no language zone on wages and benefits” for returning special needs with “demands that would teachers, teacher assistants plunge B.C. into deficit.” and other stripped positions However, BCTF president to classrooms, he explains. Jim Iker says government Helmer says the province’s has made "no commitment Learning Improvement Fund MURRAY HELMER to increase funding to supto cover classroom support port the learning needs of needs is “not nearly enough.” our students, nor was there any Government's promised supports effort to move on salary.” don’t cost as much as what the BCTF Cariboo Chilcotin Teachers’ is asking for because of the difference Association president Murray between physical bodies and trained
educators, he says. “They are not willing to put anything in the collective agreement that is concrete around special needs teachers, counsellors, learning-assistance teachers and teacher-librarians.” He notes support staff “come a lot cheaper than teachers,” but won’t address the special needs support issue. Fassbender reiterates the parties should “let the courts decide,” yet what they are insisting upon at the table would undo any past or future court rulings, Helmer says. He explains BCPSEA removed one clause from the contract during the Continued on A4