Unfinished AGM business referred to the RA

CCD22-0011 MEMO TO:

Local Representatives

COPIES TO:

Local Presidents, Executive Committee, EC-elect, Administrative Staff

FROM:

Teri Mooring

DATE:

April 27, 2022

SUBJECT:

Unfinished Annual General Meeting business referred to the Representative Assembly

The 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) referred the unfinished AGM business to the Representative Assembly (RA) with the power to act. This business will be on the agenda for the Spring RA and, if not completed, will carry forward to the Fall RA. The recommendations and resolutions that make up the unfinished business are outlined below in the same order in which they were listed as unfinished at the AGM. CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS Recommendation 13 That By-law 20 be amended as follows: Only the Annual or Special General Meeting can amend the Cconstitution, the by-laws, the Salary Indemnity Plan Regulations, and the Code of Ethics and only if a 75% majority of the delegates vote in favour of the amendment(s) passed by at least two-thirds of the votes cast by delegates on behalf of the voting members. Only the Annual General Meeting can amend the Salary Indemnity Plan Regulations and only if passed by at least three-quarters of the votes cast by delegates on behalf of the voting members.

Supporting statement The Societies Act defines a special resolution as a resolution at a general meeting passed by at least twothirds of the voting members. The by-laws may set a higher threshold but is not required.

Recommendation 14 That Annual General Meeting Standing Rules of Order 6.B.1 be amended as follows: Special resolutions shall be defined as recommendations or resolutions that seek to amend the constitution and by-laws of the Federation and other resolutions so defined in the Societies Act. Such special resolutions shall require a three-quarters two-thirds majority vote to pass, with the exception of changes to the Salary Indemnity Plan regulations which shall require a three-quarter majority vote to pass.

Supporting statement The Societies Act defines a special resolution as a resolution at a general meeting passed by at least twothirds of the voting members. The by-laws may set a higher threshold but is not required.

FINANCE 1

Recommendation 55 That the Federation donate an additional $20,000 to the International Trade Union Confederation’s Ukraine appeal, to add to the $5,000 already donated by the Executive Committee, and to recommend to the 2022 Spring Representative Assembly that both these donations be charged to the Contingency Fund.

Supporting statement The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is working closely with its Ukrainian member organizations the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine (FPU) and the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine (KVPU) as they provide support to workers and families in need of assistance. Trade unions in neighbouring countries, including Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova are supporting the increasing number of refugees, providing food and water provisions, medical supplies, and hygiene items. This appeal is being made to all members of the CLC Canadian Council.

BARGAINING Recommendation 19 That Policy 3.J.01—3.9 be amended as follows: The classroom teacher, in collaboration with the school-based team and/or other specialist teachers assigned to provide support services to students, shall have the right to determine the placement of, resources for, and support services necessary to the needs of students with special needs and/or diverse learning and other students in the class. (see also Policy 9.A.21 (4)) Supporting statement This is a house-keeping recommendation. The procedure was previously carried at the Annual General Meeting with specific reference to Policy 9.A.21 (4) which no longer exists.

Recommendation 20 That Policy 3.J.01—7.3 and 7.8 be amended as follows: 7.3 The purpose of inclusion of students with special diverse needs into regular classes is to provide a positive educational experience for students with special needs and the other students in the class give students equitable access to education in the least restrictive environment. Classes shall be smaller than the sizes stated in 7.2 when they include a high proportion of students with learning disabilities, diverse learning, behavioural, emotional, or health needs, or with a broad range of student ages, grade levels, or achievement levels.

7.8 Qualified teacher-counsellors shall be provided at a minimum of one teacher-counsellor for each 250 students, with at least one qualified teacher-counsellor per school.

Supporting statement The proposed changes to Policy 3.J.01—7.3 and 7.8 are intended to clarify and update the wording to reflect current language in inclusive education.

Recommendation 21 That Policy 3.J.01—8.7.1, 8.7.2, 8.8, 8.9, 8.10, 8.13, and 8.14 be amended as follows: 8.7.1 Ample, up-to-date, and good condition print materials to reflect Canadian, Aboriginal, and global society and to support instruction and student interest and needs through inquiry and voluntary unleveled free reading selection.

8.7.2 Electronic (digital) capacity, including sufficient outlets, connection hardware and devices, and access to a broad spectrum of digital materials and tools free from imposed filtering.

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8.8

Fully equipped gymnasium, playgrounds, sports fields, and outdoor environmental study areas shall be provided. Fields and equipment maintained and serviced to adhere to safety standards.

8.9 Separate changing, lavatory, and shower facilities for boys and girls, including a genderneutral space, shall be provided to facilitate integrated physical education and sports programs.

8.10 Lavatory facilities for classes including Kindergarten, primary, or for disabled students/ students with disabilities shall be provided within the classroom or the building/portable in which the classroom is located.

8.13 Each school shall have a staffroom of at least 84 square metres, equipped with kitchen facilities. Staff shall have access to adult washrooms and shower facilities.

8.14 Each member shall have a workspace with access to personal storage, appropriate teaching and professional resources, and appropriate supported and maintained technology, including all supporting hardware and components to be provided by the district.

Supporting statement The recommended amendments to Policy 3.J.01—8.7.1, 8.7.2, 8.8, 8.9, 8.10, 8.13, and 8.14 address the use of inclusive language around gender and reflect the rights of Indigenous students. It also brings the language up to date for students with disabilities. In addition, the proposed revisions specify that the provision and maintenance of facilities and supplies is important to the learning environment and to the health and safety of students and staff.

Recommendation 22 That Procedure 3.E.04 be replaced with the following: That the Field Service Division co-ordinate to provide materials, advice, and assistance to support local and regional bargaining and collective agreement implementation.

Supporting statement The intent of this procedure is to outline the role of Field Service staff in supporting local and regional bargaining. This replacement remains consistent with the original intent and no longer references provincial bargaining co-ordinators, a role that has not been in place for many years.

Existing 3.E.04—That the BCTF staff and provincial bargaining coordinators devise and carry out a co-ordinated program of field service that includes advice and assistance in case preparation and in the use of bargaining tactics at the local and regional levels.

Recommendation 23 That Procedure 3.E.06 be deleted.

Supporting statement Procedure 3.E.06 reflects a period of time when all negotiation was completed locally, and therefore necessitated co-ordination of objectives in certain areas via staff and officers. This is no longer an accurate reflection and the role of the Field Service Division is already outlined in Procedure 3.E.04.

This creates contradiction when considered with the policy and procedures that outline the scope and role of the Bargaining Conference.

Existing 3.E.06—That the officers and staff co-ordinate the objectives set for learning conditions, working conditions, and salaries, and the efforts of personnel who are working toward accomplishment of these objectives.

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Resolution 114—Surrey That Procedure 3.G.02 be amended to remove full-time equivalent (FTE).

Supporting statement The use of FTE of teaching does not accurately represent membership in locals. We know that many members need to work part time for family commitments, those members only count as part members in this calculation. All members should be valued as complete and whole within our union. Further, using FTE also excludes all members on leave and teachers teaching on call since they have 0 FTE each. The union still has a responsibility to represent those members. In Surrey, that equates to 400 members on leave and 1,300 TTOCs who by this calculation have no weight in determining priorities for bargaining their future collective agreements. This calculation as it exists sends a message that they are not full members. Their contribution within bargaining is not represented within the delegates at the Bargaining Conference. Excerpt from the Members’ Guide, Procedure 3.G.02, Bargaining Conference (p. 27). 3.

That the delegates to the Bargaining Conference be: i. members of the Executive Committee ii. members of the Bargaining Team (exclusive of staff) iii. local delegations consisting of: • Local President or designate • local bargaining chairperson or designate • further local delegates elected by the local on the basis of one further delegate per 250 members (FTE) or portion thereof in excess of the first 400 members.

FINANCE Resolution 115—Comox That the Federation create a three-year roadmap/plan to bring the BCTF member fee to 1.59% of a teacher’s salary with a report to the 2023 Annual General Meeting.

Supporting statement The Federation went through over a decade of financial hardship following the 2002 stripping of our contract and the protracted legal and political battle that followed. To deal with these monetary stresses the Federation undertook many austerity measures: cutting staff, programs, and expenses. In addition, a mortgage was taken out on the building and the membership fee was raised with the assurance this was a needed measure and that this was a temporary measure. Since our Supreme Court victory, we have seen a stabilization of our financial situation. Our mortgage is paid off. Our strike fund has been replenished.

Our membership (and therefore the influx of member dues) has increased. Now is the time to follow through with the promise of returning the fee to what it was.

EDUCATION FINANCE Recommendation 24 That Procedure 8.A.04 be replaced with the following: That the BCTF continue to advocate for improved and targeted grants from the Ministry of Education to school boards for students with diverse needs, and for mechanisms to ensure that all of these grants are used for the ongoing support of assessment, designation, and inclusion of students in schools.

Supporting statement This procedure was adopted by the 1993 Annual General Meeting and should be revised given the current context. Procedure 8.A.04 states: 4

That the BCTF seek to ensure that Ministry of Education funding to school boards for students with special needs be increased to support integration and other models, be specifically designated in school board budgets and be expended on behalf of these students.

TEACHERS TEACHING ON CALL Recommendation 53 That Procedure 49.16—1.–3. be deleted.

Supporting statement This recommendation was made to the 2020 Annual General Meeting but was not brought forward due to the condensed virtual format of the 2020 Annual General Meeting.

The goal expressed in part three of the procedure has been achieved. Teachers teaching on call (TTOC) performing BCTF union business receive a leave of absence, their school district pays their salary and the Federation is involved for that cost. The original intent of the procedure, adopted prior to current collective provision, was to compensate TTOCs for giving up a day of teaching work for doing union business. Now that TTOCs are paid by the employer, while on union leave without issue, portions of Procedure 49.16 (Procedure 49.16—1.–3.) are no longer needed.

With the 2006–11 agreement, TTOCs were paid on scale for four consecutive days of work which included a day of union leave retroactive to the first day of work. Many TTOCs were at the top of the salary grid and at Category 6 (Masters). The BCTF paid the salary of the TTOC regardless of their salary category and scale placement.

In 2014, the BCTF proposed that TTOCs be paid on scale for all days worked and thus, eliminating the four consecutive days of work requirement. The British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) would agree to TTOC on scale pay for all days worked in exchange for a salary cap. The BCTF and the BCPSEA agreed to Category 5 Step 8 as the maximum salary. However, Procedure 49.16—2.c. was erroneously applied for a period of time to provide a “top up” of TTOCs pay up to Category 6 Step 10 when on union leave. Starting in the 2021–22 school year, this practice has been rectified and TTOCs are no longer receiving a “top up” from the union. They are paid on scale by the employer in accordance with the collective agreement. This procedure should be removed from the Members’ Guide as its continued inclusion has caused confusion.

Procedure 49.16—1.–3. states: That teachers on call be compensated for: 1.a. performing the duties of an elected BCTF or local position, or 1.b. facilitating a BCTF-sponsored workshop, or c. serving on a BCTF committee or task force, d. staff rep training and PD rep training when such work, including travel time, occurs during regular school hours in which they would normally be available to teach.

2.a. That such compensation shall be at a per diem rate of 1/189 of the member’s regular scale payment, or the rate of pay for teachers on call, in accordance with the collective agreement then in force in the teacher’s own district, whichever is greater.

2.b. That, to receive compensation under 49.16(1), TTOCs must: i. be registered and active with a school board, ii. indicate what their per diem regular scale rate is, iii. indicate any restrictions on availability.

2.c. When a TTOC engages in any of the tasks under Policy 49.16(1) during the time that they would normally be working in a part-time teaching position, the compensation would not be at the TTOC per diem rate. Instead, the Federation would reimburse the member’s school board at the TTOC 5

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daily rate, pursuant to a leave of absence request for that member. (The TTOC would, however, be paid their regular salary by the school board in accordance with the part-time position.)

That the BCTF work towards negotiating an agreement with BCPSEA in which local school boards would pay a TTOC on local or BCTF business as if they were on the board’s payroll during that time, taking all regular deductions and billing the BCTF or the local, for the TTOC’s salary and pension costs.

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS Recommendation 6 That By-law 5.1(f) be amended as follows: The Member-at-Large position designated to be held by a racialized member a Member of Colour is open to the election of a member who identifies as racialized a Person of Colour including those members who identify as being Aboriginal. For clarity, this is intended to include individuals who themselves or their ancestors are settlers and/or immigrants and/or refugees and/or were brought to Canada.

Supporting statement The wording in By-law 5.1(f) was adopted at the 2017 Annual General Meeting and provided for any candidates who were not elected to the Member-at-Large position designated for a member who identifies as Aboriginal to “drop down” and run for the position designated for a member who identified as racialized. However, this has been seen by many as inadvertently conflating two different identities and experiences for the members concerned. As well, it implied that members who identify as Aboriginal concurrently also identify as racialized or People of Colour. Therefore, this recommendation proposes to delink what was a direct connection between the two designated positions and provides clarity on the criteria for Member-at-Large positions designated for a member who identifies as a Member of Colour. This does not preclude a member from being nominated as a candidate for each position separately, should they choose to do so.

Recommendation 9 That the last sentence of By-law 5.1(a) be amended as follows: An Executive Committee member may be removed from office under the provisions of By-law 1.7, By-law 5.21, or By-law 7.

Supporting statement This is a housekeeping change to ensure the process for removing an Executive Committee member is clearly referenced in By-law 5.1(a).

Recommendation 10 That a new By-law 5.23 be added as follows: The Federation will not make donations to: 1. any federal, provincial, or municipal political party.

2. any individual candidate or group of candidates seeking office in any federal, provincial, or municipal election.

3. any individual seeking the nomination for any federal, provincial, or municipal party.

Concomitantly, the Federation may not directly affiliate to any political party. Locals of the Federation have the autonomy with regard to political donations but will not use Federation grants for this purpose.

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Supporting statement This recommendation seeks to codify in the by-laws the BCTF’s long-standing practice of not making donations to any political party or candidate and ensure alignment to recent amendments to the BC Election Act. The Federation is non-partisan in this regard and, unlike many other provincial unions, is not affiliated with a political party nor does it donate to any federal, provincial, or municipal party or candidate. Instead, the Federation actively advocates for its policies and positions regardless of which government is in power. In addition, the Federation draws on the opportunity an election provides to highlight teaching and learning conditions, funding, the importance of quality publicly funded public education, and the issues of broader concern in communities.

Over the decades, the BCTF has conducted many such campaigns and engaged members in political action in the lead up to elections, seeking to make public education a vote-determining issue. As explicitly stated in the recommendation, this by-law would not prevent locals from making decisions with regard to political donations, within the requirements of the election financing rules applying to municipal, provincial, and federal elections.

Related to this recommendation, the Federation has the following in place: • By-law 4.3 includes the statement: “Not withstanding anything contained in these by-laws, no levy on the membership shall be made for the purpose of financing political parties and/or election campaigns of political parties.”

• Procedure 27.04 which states: “the BCTF continue its practice of commending or criticizing government education programs and/or the educational programs of political parties.”

Recommendation 11 That a new By-law 5.22 be adopted as follows: With respect to the performance of Executive Committee members’ duties, the Federation shall ensure that reasonable accommodations required by Section 14 of the BC Human Rights Code are provided for Executive Committee members as needed.

Supporting statement Section 14 of the BC Human Rights Code stipulates that a trade union must not discriminate against any person on the basis of a prohibited ground in the Human Rights Code (race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, political belief, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or criminal conviction unrelated to membership).

The alternative wording incorporating Section 14 clarifies that the motion is intended to address accommodations required under the Human Rights Code. This clarifies any ambiguity about the needs of individual members intended to be covered by the provision.

Recommendation 12 That By-law 7.2 be amended as follows: The Judicial Council shall be composed of a chairperson, who shall be elected by the Representative Assembly, and an additional 18 members who shall be elected by the Representative Assembly. Four positions will be designated to be held by members who self-identify as being Aboriginal, Black, or Persons of Colour. All members of the Judicial Council shall be active members of the Federation entitled to vote and must receive a majority of the votes cast by the Representative Assembly. When a Judicial Council member resigns from or otherwise leaves the Judicial Council, the member’s appointment to the Judicial Council may continue solely for the purpose of completing ongoing proceedings.

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Supporting statement One of the primary ways to combat systemic barriers and racism is to create specific spaces for those who have not traditionally had access. Ensuring that there is greater diversity on the Judicial Council will help mitigate institutional procedural bias. When considered with the proposed changes to the Code of Ethics, this representation on the Judicial Council is critical to ensure appropriate representation in alignment with the diversity of the Federation membership.

Resolution 101—Vancouver Elementary That a new By-Law 3.10 be added as follows: No member shall hold the role of Local President and/or any other locally released officer for more than 10 years consecutively. Concomitantly, no member is eligible to stand for election for the role of Local President and/or any other locally released officer for more than 10 years consecutively.

Supporting statement Service as Local President and/or any other locally released officer should be part of a career in teaching. It should not be a career in and of itself. We should avoid the practice common to other organizations where the impression might be given to the average member that only a small number of people (or only one person) can possibly understand how to be an effective union officer. Renewal helps give us strength in our union. The Representative Assembly has continued to budget for union mentorship grants, training opportunities, and other supports to help grow capacity in locals. Our local is prepared to abide by this by-law, should it be adopted.

ORGANIZATION OF THE BCTF Resolution 119—Coquitlam Alternate Wording That Policy 25.D.14—1. be amended as follows: That the RA Agenda Committee consist of: a. the President and the chairpersons of the RA as non-voting members. b. five LRs, elected by the assembly at its spring meeting, as voting members. one LR who identifies as Indigenous, elected by the assembly at its spring meeting, as a voting member. c. one LR who identifies as Black or a Person of Colour, elected by the assembly at its spring meeting, as a voting member. d. five LRs, elected by the assembly at its spring meeting, as voting members.

Supporting statement Over the last several years the Federation has made steps toward equity by adding designated seats for members who are Indigenous, Black, or People of Colour to the Executive Committee. Along the same vein, it is now important to create space for the marginalized voices of colleagues to be heard in the RA Agenda Committee. By adding a seat for both an Indigenous member and a person who is Black or a Person of Colour to the RA Agenda Committee we ensure that these important, yet often unheard voices are included in setting the agenda, supporting members who are crafting amendments, new motions, or alternate wording, as well as in supporting chairpersons and giving advice on the Standing Rules of Order. With more diverse voices in these decisions, we can and will do better in how we set agendas for RAs and can take another important step toward a more equitable meeting space for everyone.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Resolution 103—Coquitlam Alternate Wording That Procedure 2.A.08 be amended as follows: 8

That the Executive Committee recommend to each Annual General Meeting the names of active members to serve on the Resolutions Committee, to act as scrutineers, and to act as tellers. Recommendations for the Resolutions Committee should include at least one member who identifies as Indigenous and one member who identifies as Black or a Person of Colour. The Executive Committee shall also recommend to each Annual General Meeting the names of active members or honorary associate members to act as chairpersons. Individuals recommended as chairpersons shall not be seeking Executive Committee office.

Supporting statement Over the last several years, the Federation has made steps toward equity by adding designated seats for members who are Indigenous, Black, or People of Colour to the Executive Committee. Along the same vein, it is now important to create space for the marginalized voices of colleagues to be heard in the Resolutions Committee. By adding a seat for both an Indigenous member and a person who is Black or a Person of Colour to the Resolutions Committee, we ensure that these important, yet often unheard voices are included in supporting members who are crafting amendments, new motions, or alternate wording as well as in supporting chairpersons and giving advice on the Standing Rules of Order. When setting the order of unfinished business this will give more strength to the voices of marginalized members. With more diverse voices in these decisions, we can and will do better in how we advise everyone at the Annual General Meeting and can take another important step toward a more equitable meeting space for everyone.

ORGANIZATION OF THE BCTF Resolution 121—Surrey That Procedure M. Zone Meetings, 25.M.02 be amended to add 1. i. a local political action contact for each provincial electoral district.

Supporting statement The Political Action Contacts (PACs) do important work in every provincial electoral district, making sure that every MLA knows one teacher-constituent who speaks to them regularly on issues in BC schools. This is a long-game strategy where these PACs bring current issues to those discussions and insist on fundamental support for public education, proper funding, and all the progressive changes teachers envision for the school system. Every MLA needs to clearly understand the centrality of public education in the functioning of our society, of our democracy, and our economy, and so these conversations are important. To do this work, each PAC needs up to three release days every year to lobby, plan, attend training, and network to keep politicians’ minds focused on public education. Each year a training session or conference should be hosted by the BCTF to train PACs for their crucially important work.

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS, RIGHTS, AND STANDARDS Recommendation 50 That the BCTF Code of Ethics, Procedure 31.B.02 be amended to add a new number 10. as follows: 10. In the course of union business and meetings, the member must not discriminate against any other member because of the race, colour, ancestry, Indigenous identity, place of origin, political belief, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or age of that person or member, or because that person or member has been convicted of a criminal or summary conviction offence that is unrelated to the membership or intended membership, or any other protected grounds under the BC Human Rights Code.

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Supporting statement By embedding this statement of protected grounds under the BC Human Rights Code within the BCTF Code of Ethics, the Federation is clear that all members are required to act in accordance with the BC Human Rights Code. This helps ensure safe spaces free from discrimination for all members in support of greater union solidarity and will do better in how we set agendas for RAs and can take another important step toward a more equitable meeting space for everyone.

Recommendation 51 That Procedure 31.C.02 be deleted.

Supporting statement The current process for the Judicial Council election requires that candidates first be approved by a secret ballot of a local general meeting. This process is a barrier for Indigenous, Black, and Persons of Colour members (and many others) as election then relies on who someone knows and the power they may or may not hold within a local. This causes bias and favours election of those already holding organizational power, such as Local Presidents, Local Representatives, or members of executives simply because their name may be more familiar to those attending a meeting. By deleting this procedure, candidates would follow a process similar to other elected but non-executive roles in the Federation such as health and safety representative, BC Federation of Labour representative, and Agenda Committee etc.

Recommendation 52 That Procedure 31.C.12—1. be amended as follows: 1. The Representative Assembly shall elect at large and maintain an 18-member Judicial Council to implement the Code of Ethics. Four positions will be designated to be held by members who self-identify as being Aboriginal, Black, or Persons of Colour. In addition to the 18 members, the Representative Assembly shall elect a Judicial Council chairperson whose term shall be three years. Initially council members’ terms shall be staggered, i.e., six threeyear terms, six two-year terms, and six one-year terms. In subsequent elections, terms for vacancies shall be set to maintain a balance of experience. There shall be no limit on the number of terms for which election to the Judicial Council may be sought but no No term shall be more than three years and no member may be elected for more than three terms.

Supporting statement One of the primary ways to combat systemic barriers and racism is to create specific spaces for those who have not traditionally had access. Ensuring that there is greater diversity on the Judicial Council will help mitigate institutional procedural bias. When considered with the proposed changes to the Code of Ethics, this representation on the Judicial Council is critical to ensure appropriate representation in alignment with the diversity of the Federation membership in order to hear and consider matters that include instances of potential breaches of Human Rights Code protected grounds.

BARGAINING Resolution 105—Burnaby Executive Committee advice—That this resolution be referred to the Bargaining Conference: That the Federation add a new Policy 3.A.05. as follows: That during provincial negotiations the Federation maintain all existing superior local language/provisions.

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Supporting statement In every round of provincial bargaining, our Bargaining Conferences, Representative Assemblies, and Executive Committee meetings have set this as direction for our Bargaining Team during negotiations with the employer. It is time we include this long-held stance in our own statements of bargaining policy.

Resolution 106—Kamloops Thompson Executive Committee advice—That this resolution be referred to the Bargaining Conference: That the Federation continue to advocate for increased preparation time to at least the national average for elementary teachers and that this advocacy is ongoing between rounds of bargaining.

Supporting statement BC teachers have seen significant curricular and educational change in recent years. Classes are more complex, and additional preparation time is necessary to meet the needs of individual students, connect with colleagues, learn, plan, prepare lessons, and report to parents. Preparation time has not had a commensurate increase to match the workload of teachers. Preparation time for BC’s elementary teachers remains 58% below the Canadian average. Constant pressure on the government is needed to prioritize this matter and address teacher workload.

Resolution 107—Kamloops Thompson Executive Committee advice—That this resolution be referred to the Bargaining Conference: That the Federation advocate for preparation time allocation specifically for writing report card comments.

Supporting statement Report card writing can be arduous for teachers. In elementary schools in Kamloops, teachers are required to write four reports a year for 20 to 29 students (depending on grade level and composition) on nine different subjects, as well as effort and behaviour. In secondary schools, teachers are required to write twice a year on upwards of four courses, for 104 to 124 students (depending on grade level and composition). This means that many teachers—of all grade levels—are spending hours during the evenings and weekends writing report card comments. Oftentimes, MyEdBC schedules outage times for upgrades during these reporting periods, and there have been many accounts of teachers losing their written reports. This time is often taken away from marking, planning, organizing, and family time—all of which increases the workload of teachers, and contributes to mental health challenges. Furthermore, the BC Government is in the process of changing the expectations regarding the reporting expectations for high school teachers, and, at this point, is not providing any in-service training to prepare teachers for what those expectations are nor how to implement them. This increases the workload and stress that teachers experience. By providing scheduled preparation time (above the regular preparation time for teachers) specifically for writing report cards, it will reduce the stress that teachers experience, thereby reducing mental health challenges, leading to better classrooms and lower burnout rates.

Resolution 108—Kamloops Thompson Executive Committee advice—That this resolution be referred to the Bargaining Conference: That the Federation advocate for more counsellor support, especially in elementary, to support the social, emotional, and behavioural needs of students.

Supporting statement Students across the province have been struggling more than ever with mental health concerns, leading 11

to a decrease in school attendance and academic performance. According to an article released by the Centre for Disease Control in July 2021, the pressures students are facing have compounded extensively since the beginning of the pandemic, which has led to increased isolation and often, limited learning resources and opportunities. There are times when online programs and options are offered as a solution by districts, if the technology is available, but as research shows these do not take the place of in-person student services. It is becoming more frequent, however, that Learning Assistance Resource Teachers are required to cancel their instructional groups to help with the compounding number of students struggling with an increase in social, emotional, and behaviour challenges. This negatively impacts students with learning difficulties who require additional instruction. Teachers working as teacher-librarians and counsellors who have a timetable that allows for flexibility, are expected to be involved with timetabling, record keeping, and other duties. However, there also has been an increase in administrative duties with student services to support an audit-focused system where more time is being spent with files rather than face-to-face with students. Counsellors, in many cases, are shared between schools or have only a partial counselling schedule. This often means having to turn students away to report to their other duties. These numbers are not sustainable and with increasing pressures across the board, we will continue to see a negative impact on students unless there is an increase in services. Statistics Canada is currently reporting the “greatest mental health decline since the pandemic began.” An increase in counsellor support is needed to support these changes.

Resolution 109—Kamloops Thompson Executive Committee advice—That this resolution be referred to the Bargaining Conference: That the Federation advocate for secondary teachers to receive linear/weekly preparation time (over the whole year).

Supporting statement Currently, secondary teachers receive preparation time in only one semester. With the quarter system in the 2020–21 school year, this meant that some teachers received their preparation in the first quarter (September–November 2020). Returning to a semester system in the 2021–22 school year, some teachers are not receiving their preparation until the second semester (February–June). This results in some teachers going 12 months (not including the summer months) without a preparation. This has added a lot of stress and pressure on teachers to prepare outside of school hours. With COVID-19 precautions, more parents are opting to keep their children home when not feeling well, resulting in students missing more in-class instruction, and teachers spending more time learning new online programs and posting in-class instructions and assignments online to help ensure that their students are not falling even further behind. In 2014, there was an agreement between BCSPEA and the Federation to explore the issue of secondary preparation time—and yet nothing has happened. With an already stressful workload, and the added pressures of COVID-19, more teachers than ever are facing burnout.

Having a preparation that exists year-round would help support the mental health of teachers by providing greatly needed time to plan, organize, and prepare course materials for students of all abilities. Secondary teachers receive 52% less preparation time than the national average. For example, Ontario teachers receive 375 minutes per week year-round. The intention of this motion is that this may not need to be a contract negotiation. While more preparation time would be ideal, for the immediate future, it would be beneficial for schools to re-evaluate their schedules to allow for more flexibility for secondary teachers. edvocate. ca/culture-staffing/contracts/ont-summary/ont-qa/ont-details/.

Resolution 110—Prince Rupert Executive Committee advice—That this resolution be referred to the Bargaining Conference: That a new clause be added under Bargaining in the Members’ Guide to the BCTF under section 12

3. Bargaining A. Basic Principles PROCEDURES as follows: That superior local provisions of the collective agreement, as determined by individual locals, will be protected during provincial bargaining.

Supporting statement Since we have moved to provincial bargaining, the objective of maintaining superior local provisions in the collective agreement has been brought forward and debated at the Bargaining Conference. A lot of time is spent debating this, which is wrong because it should be part of our policies and how we bargain.

Every local has specific clauses they fought long and hard for in their collective agreements. Bargaining that happens at the provincial level should not ever take away the locals’ right to maintain provisions that they consider superior to what is bargained at the provincial level. It is also important that the locals themselves are the ones who decide upon whether any newly negotiated language is superior to what they already have in their local language.

Resolution 111—Kamloops Thompson Executive Committee advice—That this resolution be referred to the Bargaining Conference: That the Federation advocate for a provincial recruitment and retention strategy for rural teachers and teachers teaching on call.

Supporting statement Rural schools and their small communities face many challenges, including access to resources, internet bandwidth, student enrolment, limited course offerings, and limited available accommodation for teachers. These concerns are further exacerbated by the difficulty districts have in recruiting and retaining classroom teachers, specialists, and teachers teaching on call (TTOC). Consistent staffing helps build rapport and community in a school setting. Students need time to connect with adults to foster positive, trusting relationships, which is hard to develop with high teacher turnover. TTOC shortage is more greatly felt by rural schools, in part because travel allowances to rural schools have not increased in many years and there is little incentive to take an assignment that requires a several hour commute in some cases. The rural TTOC shortage increases teacher workload because non-enrolling teachers are pulled for coverage, the classroom teachers marking and preparation is often not done, and student learning suffers when specialist teachers are pulled from their work to cover absences. The province needs to ensure that rural students receive educational opportunities comparable to those of urban students and that rural teachers have the same supports as their urban colleagues. A provincial commitment would ensure that the problem is addressed by districts and would allow for more significant strategies, such as tax incentives.

Resolution 113—Prince Rupert That the Federation form a task force after ratification of the current round of bargaining to research local language specific to each local in collective agreements, that fall under Letter of Understanding No.1 Appendix 1, for which improvements have not been able to be bargained since the Public Education Labour Relations Act was introduced, with the specific purpose of investigating and devising ways to gain improvements to these items during bargaining, in particular cost related items to deal with inflation.

Supporting statement Since the beginning of provincial bargaining, most locals have language that is now deemed to be provincial but is specific to the needs of that local, and for which improvements have not been able to be bargained for almost two decades. Many of these cost items are now way behind what they should be compared to what their costs are today based on inflation. Since these items are often very specific to the 13

locals who negotiated them, they never reach the provincial table to be improved and it is important to find a way to account for the inflation related to these items. We need to find a way to get these items to reach the provincial table and/or be moved to the local table for negotiation. In order to do this, we need a collective strategy to look for commonalities between language and/or clauses that allow us to devise bargaining objectives specific to dealing with these items.

FINANCE Resolution 116—Prince Rupert That pet boarding be added as a reimbursable expense for traveling on Federation business with receipts being required.

Supporting statement On page 59 of the Members’ Guide under Section 10.I.02—Travel and Expense Allowances, it states: In principle, a member or staff person should not be “out-of- pocket” because of necessary expenses when on Federation business. Currently, while most reasonable expenses are reimbursed, one that is not is pet boarding. This is a valid expense that members must pay when conducting union business. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a spouse, relative, or friend that will take care of their pet while they are away, which means a person must find someone willing/able to do it and pay them for their services. This is not cheap. Most people or places that board pets charge at least $20 per day, and it can go up to $50 or more. This adds up over the year, especially if people are volunteering for multiple roles, as many of us have had to do, especially during COVID-19. Even at $20 per day if a person attended the fall and spring zones (two days, not including travel days) and the Annual General Meeting (four days not including travel days), this would be about $160. At $50 per day, this would add up to $400. For members holding multiple positions, the number is obviously larger.

POLITICAL ACTION Recommendation 56 That the Executive Committee recommend to the Canadian Teachers’ Federation Annual General Meeting, the BC Federation of Labour, and the BCTF Annual General Meeting: That they strongly publicly condemn the Royal Bank of Canada, OJO Home Canada, and the Fraser Institute for monetizing student assessment data for corporate profit, demand they cease this action, and call upon provincial and territorial governments to take immediate steps to prevent this misuse of student data.

Supporting statement Government has the tools to prevent corporations from making money off the schools’ rankings. Big banks should not be allowed to profit from this egregious misuse of student data. The partnership with RBC, OJO Home Canada, and the Fraser Institute makes the need to protect the data more acute than ever. Whenever data is collected especially from children, it needs to be used in an ethical manner for the purpose for which it was collected. The blatant corporate use and monetization of student assessment data to profit big business needs to be immediately stopped and condemned in the strongest possible manner.

The Royal Bank of Canada, OJO Home Canada, and the Fraser Institute have all partnered so that when families are looking to buy a home, they can use the OJO Home Canada platform to search for homes according to school rankings and then go through the Royal Bank for their mortgage. rbcventures.ca/en/post/ojo-home-canada-launches-integration-with-fraser-institute.

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This is a particularly disturbing example of not only how the student data is misused but also monetized for corporate profit, ojohome.ca/bc/v5j/single-family/price-0-2189000/bed-5-0/school-1u-peun/.

The BCTF has been opposed to the Foundation Skills Assessments (FSAs) in their current form for decades, one of the key concerns has been the public ranking of schools and the damaging impact they have on school communities when the results are reported by media outlets. The intent of the Fraser Institute is to undermine public education in favour of private schools. While it is not new that realtors use this data to sell homes, the online campaign and website and advertising brings the issues of the misuse of student data into the public realm in a much more intentional manner. There are many dangers with this type of campaign including the further stratification of neighborhoods that can have detrimental impacts on schools and communities.

The Canadian Teachers’ Federation has the opportunity to use their national voice to condemn the practice of corporations using student data for profit. It’s important that teachers’ federations across Canada stand together to condemn this egregious exploitation of student data.

Resolution 130—Burnaby That the Federation demand that when seamless day childcare is in a school, that the first choice for location be an empty classroom or a gym and that the program be fully funded, including all toys and resources.

Supporting statement Childcare options for families in our school communities are a necessity. However, it is integral that the integration of seamless day childcare does not infringe on the working and learning conditions of teachers and students.

Resolution 131—Chilliwack That the Federation adopt the week leading up to September 30 as Truth and Reconciliation Week.

Supporting statement September 30, 2021, was the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Recognizing that teachers play a vital role in reconciliation, a week of activities leading up to September 30 would build student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and respect for the history and legacy of residential schools. The act of reconciliation must be part of every educator’s everyday practice. A week for truth and reconciliation could incorporate many activities that integrate Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into classrooms.

Resolution 132—Surrey That the BCTF: a. develop an intersectional campaign to encourage members to frequently and systematically integrate the climate emergency into their classroom lessons. b. promote available materials such as lesson plans and curriculum to support teachers in integrating climate justice in their lessons. c. advocate for the inclusion of climate justice in the curriculum at all grade levels (K–12) and in every subject.

Supporting statement While climate change has long been a global issue, it was recently thrust into the spotlight when young 15

environmental activists began worldwide school strikes that quickly became viral. These same students have urged teachers and parents to put the climate emergency forefront in their teaching and parenting.

Indeed, recent North American polls reveal that over 80% of parents in the US support the teaching of climate change (NPR/Ipsos). These results are also consistent across party lines. In addition, a nationally representative survey of around 500 educators found that teachers are also overwhelmingly supportive of teaching climate change in schools, as 86% of them agree that it should be taught more frequently and comprehensively. Despite the results of the poll, there appears to be a disconnect. While many schools participated in Earth Day, over half of the surveyed teachers said they “do not cover climate change in their own classrooms or even talk to their students about it,” while two-thirds said it is because they consider climate change to be outside their subject area. The resolution attempts to support teachers in teaching the climate emergency by first naming it, encouraging teachers to teach it, then providing materials to do so. It is imperative that teachers not avoid teaching about the climate crisis since it is our students that will be most significantly impacted by our failure to mitigate the damage it will inflict on future generations. Finally, the campaign needs to be intersectional because the climate crisis most significantly impacts those in the global south, People of Colour, Indigenous communities, those with mobility challenges, and the world’s most marginalized. In addition, it is caused by a complex set of challenges rooted in multiple injustices and oppressions. Any campaign on the issue of climate change must centre the experiences of the groups most impacted and ensure solutions stem out of those communities.

Resolution 134—Greater Victoria That the last week of September be designated as Truth and Reconciliation Week.

Supporting statement With September 30 being declared a day when students and staff are away from school, it would be a good idea and a small step toward reconciliation to make the last week of September a focused week for schools to focus on this specifically. Similarly, to Remembrance Day where the School Act says that schools must hold an assembly on the last school day before November 11, it would be good to create the expectation from the union and hopefully the employer that schools are actively engaged in conversations about reconciliation throughout the days leading up to September 30. Ideally, if the 30th is a Friday, Saturday, or a Sunday, this will provide a full week of school days leading up to the 30th.

If the 30th lands on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, then the five school days before the 30th would be used for activities. This year there was a lot of discussion about what was being done elsewhere and what should be done in schools. Declaring the week prior to be a week to focus on truth and reconciliation will help our members plan for the day in the future. It should be added, however, that acknowledging and working toward reconciliation is not an event for one singular day or one singular week but should be an everyday occurrence. This motion passed unanimously at the Greater Victoria Teachers’ Associations’ Annual General Meeting, November 16, 2021.

Resolution 135—Kamloops Thompson That the Federation advocate for in-service training when any new reporting standards are implemented.

Supporting statement The BC Ministry of Education is currently revising its reporting guidelines which are scheduled to be implemented in September 2022. While some districts have elected to participate in pilot groups, and some teachers have begun trailing the new guidelines on their own, there has been no province-wide process for educating and supporting teachers with implementation of the new guidelines. This means that many teachers will be asked to navigate an entirely new way of teaching on their own time, taking 16

even more time away from the work of supporting the students that we work with each day. These new guidelines are of particular concern to secondary teachers, who are being asked to change their assessment practices (which will also require pedagogical changes). The Ministry’s expectation that, for each reporting period, teachers will create assessment criteria, plan activities that allow students to learn and practice, assess 104–124 (or more, depending on local language) individuals on their performance for each competency and content knowledge, and then communicate in parent-friendly language will significantly increase our workload. If teachers are being asked to implement new standards, we deserve to be provided with paid time to learn how to effectively do so. Even one or two in-service days would provide teachers with the opportunity to learn the rationale for the changes, discuss what has worked for other colleagues who have already begun the transition, and to begin planning how we can meet the new standards.

Resolution 136—Kamloops Thompson That the Federation pressure the Ministry of Education to designate funding to school districts for technology and resources, including remote learning resources.

Supporting statement In no other profession would it be acceptable and expected that employees provide the materials necessary to their job due to lack of provision by the employer. A fully funded education system must include ongoing and targeted funds to resources and technology. Funding also needs to include the necessary time and training for teachers to learn to use these technologies. Districts choose where to allocate funds, and resources and training are not a priority. The need for resources has been especially acute since the implementation of the new curriculum. Then the pandemic placed even greater demand on technology and resources. Remote learning only highlighted the urgency of this matter, but the government and districts have not responded. Resources are insufficient to meet today’s educational demands. The need for adequate training for technological change is supported by the Industrial Relations Act. Lack of resource funding has increased teacher workload. Teachers must search for, create, and/or purchase resources out-of-pocket to teach the new curriculum because the funding is inadequate. Also, learning to use technology places additional pressure on teachers. The ability to have readily available and fully functioning technology, in all areas of the province and including highspeed internet access, ensures that the implementation and delivery of the curriculum is more equitable for students. Yet, our province’s rural schools continue to be short-changed. Our province’s less advantaged students are not receiving the same opportunities as those peers with computer and internet access. Districts have policies that allow confiscation of teachers’ personal electronic devices if used with students or on the employer’s network. Teachers place themselves at risk when they have no options other than to use their personal electronic devices when they need technology in the classroom.

Resolution 137—Surrey That the BCTF Executive Committee lobby the government to direct a portion of revenue from the carbon tax to fund green and carbon-emissions reducing technology in schools and school districts.

Supporting statement Most greenhouse gases are stock pollutants, meaning once emitted, they are long-lived in the atmosphere and their build up has consequences over the course of centuries. Ultimately, it is the concentration of greenhouse gases that contributes to climate change and its attendant damages. For this reason, it is imperative that there be a price on carbon. How the revenue is used is ultimately a political decision, and this motion advocates that a portion of tax revenues be used to fund zero emissions or carbon-emissions reducing initiatives in schools and school districts. Revenue from the 17

carbon tax could be used to fund initiatives such as: heating, ventilation, air-conditioning systems, solar-powered energy, electric district vehicles, electric car charging stations for school staff, community-school gardens, and outdoor learning opportunities.

Resolution 138—Surrey That the Federation lobby the provincial government to encourage school districts to examine school-naming protocols and to make changes to them so that names that are meaningful to the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities that are on (or were originally inhabitants of) that territory are included.

Supporting statement We have many schools that are named after locations, or prominent people, due to the perceived honour that is bestowed by naming such edifices after them. However, where possible, this practice should be re-examined, especially if people are serious in their commitment to truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. This would bring Indigenous peoples’ concerns to the forefront and enable students and their communities to greater awareness of why it is important not only to pay lip service in acknowledging traditional territories. Commitment to social justice begins from childhood and can grow subconsciously. If you never had the chance to challenge your beliefs from when you were young, you would think that everything is alright. Children are naturally curious and if they are not familiar with something, like their school’s name, it would be a great opportunity for them to be conscious of and learn about the First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit territory where they are and what happened (or is still happening) to the Indigenous Peoples there. Passing this would be a means of accomplishing Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #57 which states: “We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to provide education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal peoples...” because teachers are public servants who would need to know the Indigenous history in the area to be able to respond.

Moreover, it is noteworthy that the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is in the midst of conducting a city-wide review of all 583 school sites in a motion approved as of April 2021 “to better reflect the diversity of the city.” In their press release, it is stated that “The TDSB will form a special group that will inform the consultation process for the review of policy P047 and procedure PR592, Naming of Schools and Special Purpose Areas; propose amendments; and provide a proposal for a city-wide review of all TDSB school names. This group will be composed of students, parents/guardians, educators, community members, appropriate qualified experts, and individuals involved in antiracism work. This plan aims to improve the naming and renaming process for schools to ensure that school names better represent the diverse people, cultures, and history of Toronto, including, but not limited to, Indigenous and Black leaders and the contemporary values of the city.” A similar movement is already happening in BC school districts. In October 2018, the Vancouver School District formed a Naming and Renaming Working Group to review the process that guides the naming of new facilities and the renaming of existing facilities. An update to the process for naming new facilities came into effect in June 2019, where it notes that, “Dual naming shall be considered in naming a new school in English and in hənqəminəm. Dual names are not required to be a direct translation, and as such may have separate meanings.” The working group then met over the 2019–20 school year to focus on updating the process surrounding renaming existing facilities.

Resolution 139—Surrey That the Federation lobby the provincial government to recognize September 23–29 as Truth and Reconciliation Week.

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Supporting statement This proposed resolution addresses the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action #63: Where we call upon the Council of Ministers of Education Canada to maintain an annual commitment to Aboriginal education issues, including: 1. developing and implementing Kindergarten to Grade 12 curriculum and learning resources on Aboriginal peoples in Canadian history, and the history and legacy of residential schools.

2. sharing information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to residential schools and Aboriginal history.

3. building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect.

4. identifying teacher-training needs relating to the above.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation needs to be observed in the same way as Remembrance Day. All schools hold assemblies the day before November 11 and for an entire month or more poppies are sold keeping the day in everyone’s minds. The cruelty that First Nations children and families suffered demands greater attention than just a one-day observance. For the week leading up to September 30 each year, schools should be encouraged to host events to raise awareness in the same way they do for Remembrance Day. Examples of events: film series, Heart Garden, drum and sing outside all week, wear orange all week, walk-ins each morning, blanket exercise. It is highly advisable to involve older students in planning these so that they can be more committed to its purpose. Holding commemorative events for a Truth and Reconciliation Week would allow for opportunities for Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #63 to be implemented. It’s already been five years since the calls to action were issued.

Resolution 140—Surrey That the Federation lobby the government to abandon its investment in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and divert LNG subsidies instead to: 1. retraining for workers currently in fossil fuel energy industries.

2. investment in sustainable, zero-emission energy industries.

Supporting statement In 2020, the provincial government provided $1.3 billion in oil and gas subsidies, more than the government spent on combating climate change, and five times more than the government gets back in royalties from the oil and gas sector. These subsidies take the form of tax exemptions, credits to reduce royalty payments, direct spending commitments, and financing for infrastructure.

These subsidies do not consider the public expense of cleaning up abandoned wells and fracking ponds, the health and social costs of LNG production and use, or the costs to society from the effects of climate change. Under our current government, subsidies to fracking have doubled, while other west coast jurisdictions like California and Washington are ending fracking licenses.

Government money spent subsidizing the oil and gas sector means less spent on health care, education, and housing, while at the same time contributing to the effects of climate change that will impact our members and the students in our care.

Resolution 141—Surrey That the Federation stand in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en peoples through actions including, but not limited to, the following: 1. making a public announcement 2. bringing a motion of support to the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, the Canadian Labour Congress, and the BC Federation of Labour 3. writing a letter to the BC Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resources Operations and 19

Rural Development, and the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation demanding that the provincial government cease all drilling by Coastal Gas Link on Wet’suwet’en territories in respect and recognition of the rights of Wet’suwet’en to free and informed consent as laid out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)/British Columbia Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Supporting statement BC’s adoption of UNDRIP means that Indigenous peoples determine how they will be self-governed.

Both the hereditary system of the Wet’suwet’en as well as the elected band council system (imposed through the Indian Act) are legitimate. Both the federal and provincial governments need to meet the required mandate through UNDRIP that requires, “States shall consult and co-operate in good faith with the Indigenous peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free and informed consent prior to the approval of any project affecting their lands or territories and other resources, particularly in connection with the development, utilization or exploitation of mineral, water or other resources.” It is with this in mind that we need to elevate and support calls from the Wet’suwet’en to stop drilling under the sacred headwaters that nourish the Wet’suwet’en Yintah.

The Coastal Gas Link construction has destroyed an ancient village site Ts’elkay Kwe and threatens salmon spawning grounds and resources that many communities access downstream. The drilling and construction in this area has been destructive and the antithesis of what UNDRIP calls for.

Resolution 142—Cranbrook That the Federation calls upon the Ministry of Education for a province-wide implementation of the Letter of Understanding for Employment Equity for Aboriginal Teachers to redress the underrepresentation of Aboriginal teachers in BC public schools.

Supporting statement While these documents have been in effect in BC since on or before 2008, to this date not all school districts have gone through the process to bring this dynamic and beneficial document to life in their districts. This representation also provides the ability to develop authentic relationships between the Indigenous teacher and Indigenous students. While we readily utter acknowledgments of territory and continue to benefit from our presence on Indigenous lands, be it resolved that employment equity agreements can no longer be the privileged choice for an individual district. In the true spirit of reconciliation and equity in action, the weight of these agreements is such that the privilege of choice to implement them should end. Employment equity should be mandated provincially.

Resolution 143—Vancouver Elementary That the Federation urge the Minister of Education and the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation to revise Section 5(10)–(12) of the School Act Regulations to: 1. delete any reference to the Commonwealth and imposed loyalty to the Crown.

2. clarify that neither students nor staff shall be obliged to participate in: a. the singing of O Canada. b. any patriotic exercise. c. imposed loyalty to the Crown.

3. include a reference to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

4. include a reference to a local First Nation(s) song or anthem.

Supporting statement Given the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the provincial government’s purported support for implementation 20

of these, it is overdue for this section of the Regulations to be thoroughly updated. Many aspects of the Regulations are not currently implemented consistently around the province, which is fine given how problematic they are. It should present no difficulty for these changes to be made by the province.

Resolution 144—Vancouver Elementary That the Federation advocate for the ending of programs between BC schools and local police and/or RCMP. Supporting statement We know that the incarceration rates and the experiences of police violence, racial profiling, and criminalization impact Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Colour (BIPOC) disproportionately. Regardless of the actions of individual members of local police or the RCMP, the institutions themselves have an impact on our members, our students, and our students’ families. Yes, police officers present a sense of protection and security for those with privilege in a school community, but as teachers we are responsible for fostering an emotionally and physically safe environment for all. Schools are safer and trauma-free when BIPOC members, BIPOC students, and BIPOC families are safe from re-traumatization within them. Only through concrete actions like this can we truly claim to be committed to antiracism and reconciliation.

Resolution 145—Vancouver Elementary That the BCTF encourage locals and sublocals to recognize the last week of September as Truth and Reconciliation Week.

Supporting statement September 30, 2021, saw the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation instituted in as a statutory holiday in BC. Because the day is scheduled early in the school year when school life is most hectic, educational activities to engage staff and students to unlearn colonial ways can fall by the wayside. By recognizing the entire last week of September as Truth and Reconciliation Week, school communities are encouraged to enact the duty to decolonize our knowledge and practice in meaningful ways, in the form of planned activities in accordance with the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action such as assemblies, collaborations between classes, field trips, guest speakers etc. It is hoped that a week’s worth of planned and sustained efforts will set the tone for the school year ahead by deepening our understanding of settler responsibilities as well as broadening the scope of possible actions.

Resolution 147—Prince George That for future rounds, the Federation does not agree to open local or provincial bargaining until all locals have received a fully melded collective agreement from the previous round of negotiations.

Supporting statement The decision to not meld the 2011–13 collective agreement before starting the 2013–19 round has resulted in significant errors and omissions in local language that have continued for up to a decade. In some cases, local language was erroneously removed, some 10-year-old agreed language was never melded and there have been cases where the employer has forgotten about negotiated language and has re-tabled language in subsequent rounds. We spend enormous time trying to assert rights that have already been bargained. We are now obligated to bargain a new collective agreement at a time when the 2019–22 collective agreement has not been properly melded for all locals. We are at a disadvantage when we are bargaining with an incomplete collective agreement.

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Resolution 200—Fernie That the Federation stand in solidarity with the many international governments, organizations, and individuals who condemn Russia’s attacks on Ukraine and its citizens, stands with the people of Ukraine and its legitimately elected democratic government, and acknowledges the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine including its internationally recognized borders and territorial waters.

Supporting statement As Emmanual Tchividjian states, “an organization ought not remain silent when facing injustice and abuses taking place but ‘speak truth to power.’ We should not remain silent when witnessing wrongdoing. In those circumstances, silence is not morally acceptable; we have a duty to speak up.” The Federation prides itself in being a social justice organization. The people of the Ukraine are facing unprovoked egregious aggression by Russia and require the support of individuals, organizations, and governments.

Resolution 201—Fernie That the Federation provide financial support to the refugees fleeing Ukraine, in the amount of $100,000 via an organization that a Federation subcommittee selects to be ethical, socially just, and fiscally responsible.

Supporting statement The humanitarian crisis Ukrainian refugees face is immense, and as an organization we can afford to provide some financial assistance to ease their suffering.

Resolution 202—Surrey That the Federation strongly encourage British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) to divest of Russian securities within our pension plan as soon as possible.

Supporting statement With the war by Russia against Ukraine, it is important that we act in solidarity with the democratic country of Ukraine. Divesting of Russian securities is an action we can take in solidarity with the Ukrainian people to put an end to this war. We have provided input over time to BCI including divesting in weapons. This action would align with who we are as the BCTF. BOARDS OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND BC SCHOOL TRUSTEES ASSOCIATION Resolution 146—Vancouver Elementary That Policies 4.17 and 4.19 be deleted.

Supporting statement Last year’s Annual General Meeting deleted a number of trustee-related policies and procedures. This local resolution proposes to delete two others that were adopted in 2006 in response to some ideas being floated by the Minister of Education of the day. Neither policy is necessary at this point. (Regarding the reference to contracting out in 4.19, there are provisions in union collective agreements to deal with that, if necessary.)

ORGANIZATION OF THE BCTF Resolution 120—Greater Victoria That the Annual General Meeting recommend to the Executive Committee that the Federation form a Climate Action Committee, to advise the Executive Committee on climate issues, to work 22

to encourage teachers to act on the climate crisis, and to implement climate related motions from the Executive Committee, Representative Assembly, and Annual General Meeting.

Supporting statement We have the Environmental Justice Action Group of the Committee for Action on Social Justice, but this deals with the whole environmental justice area, as well as being active participants in intersectional work with the rest of CASJ. The climate crisis is so big, we need a dedicated group of teachers working on our response to the crisis. We currently have many motions (such as the motion to campaign against liquefied natural gas passed at last year’s Annual General Meeting) for which little has been done due to the limit on time and resources of existing committees and staff.

Resolution 122—Surrey That the Annual General Meeting recommend to the BCTF Executive Committee to establish a Political Action Contacts Advisory Committee to facilitate and enhance the political work of the Federation.

Supporting statement A Political Action Contacts (PAC) Advisory Committee would help steer PAC’s work with BCTF staff, provide leadership at zone meetings or other PAC training sessions, and invigorate this advocacy work.

The PACs do important work in every provincial electoral district, making sure that every MLA knows one teacher-constituent who speaks to them regularly on issues in BC schools. This is a long game strategy where these PACs bring current issues to those discussions, and insist on fundamental support for public education, proper funding, and all the progressive changes teachers envision for the school system. Every MLA needs to clearly understand the centrality of public education in the functioning of our society, of our democracy, and our economy, and so these conversations are important.

Resolution 123—Surrey That the Annual General Meeting urge the Executive Committee to form a Climate Action Advisory Committee, to advise the BCTF Executive Committee on climate issues, to work to encourage teachers to act on the climate crisis, and to provide an environmental justice lens to the BCTF Executive Committee, Representative Assembly, and Annual General Meeting.

Supporting statement The fight against climate change goes far beyond providing support for teachers affected by horrific climate realities like flooding caused by atmospheric rivers, entire towns lost to wildfires and heat domes. These after the fact reactions keep up continually in an existential threat reality of leaving us vulnerable and constantly in crisis mode with devastating impacts.

As union members, we need to develop fully fledged climate action plans that transform the way we do business in all regards. The amazing work of the CASJ—Environmental Justice Action Group needs to be elevated to a fully separate advisory committee, with proper staffing, support, and a more substantial capacity to help our Executive Committee make vital and truly earth saving decisions that strengthen our membership both at work, and in their general lives. If we do not undo the specialist lenses we hold, where we sideline nature/climate as a tokenized side box reality, we are in fact not doing the work of our union to support our members, but rather leaving them fully exposed to the elements. To be a fully social justice union, a climate justice lens is a necessity, this committee will help us achieve that goal by giving teachers and our union leadership the tools we need to stop this man-made ecocide. Let us empower ourselves always.

Resolution 124—Vancouver Elementary 23

That the BCTF review existing grant criteria to enable locals to hold grievance committee meetings for up to six days per school year.

Supporting statement The role of a grievance committee can serve many purposes for a local. The committee can consider the implementation of the collective agreement, prepare a local for local bargaining, and give advice to local executive committees about issues arising within the school year. In smaller locals, this would give more opportunities to share the workload of grievance and serve as another mechanism to educate members about their collective agreement. In this way, the grievance committee can serve to build a stronger local membership by broadening skill sets among local leadership and providing opportunities to train local activists. A grievance committee shares the thinking and advocacy skills of a local and encourages a broader commitment to the agreement. We know that there is unused grant money each year and so by expanding the existing grants to include the support of grievance committees, locals who choose to explore this as an option would be able to create a grievance committee that serves the needs of their local.

Resolution 125—Vancouver Elementary That the Federation create a comprehensive and dynamic environmental action plan.

Supporting statement Climate change is the existential crisis of our era and the time to reverse or mitigate its impact is diminishing by the day. Considering the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) declaring code red for humanity and the editors of 200 medical journals warning that climate change is the greatest threat to public health, I think it is incumbent upon the BCTF to provide an environmental action plan for teachers to consult and use as they see fit. This summer in BC, we experienced an unprecedented heat dome that burned many crops, damaged forests and other plant life, and resulted in many deaths. Then came the unprecedented horrific fires that destroyed massive forests as well as leaving the town of Lytton in ashes and at least two people dead. If this wasn’t enough of a wake-up call, the fall atmospheric rivers descended on the Fraser Valley, flooding the Sumas region and the city of Abbotsford causing catastrophic destruction of farms, houses, and highways. All this devastation during a pandemic. To keep our global temperature from rising 1.5°C above preindustrial levels, we must take immediate action to make planet-friendly changes in our lifestyle.

Teaching students about the intricacies of climate change and helping them understand the importance of how we can all help the planet by reducing our carbon footprint is paramount. A climate action plan can assist in that endeavor.

Resolution 126—Abbotsford That the BCTF uphold its duties to protect employment rights and working conditions of all its members, regardless of religion, sexual orientation, gender identification, political beliefs, ethnicity, medical status, or disability.

Supporting statement The BCTF Executive Committee has taken a public pro-mandate stance on vaccination for all of its members. Although many local school boards have currently declined a vaccine mandate program for their employees, there remains the possibility that a mandate could be enacted, especially with the support of the BCTF Executive Committee.

1. Duty of the union to represent A union has the duty to represent and support all of its members. The BCTF’s original goals, which remain to this day, were: a. to foster and promote the cause of education.

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b. to raise the status of the teaching profession in BC. c. to promote the welfare of teachers in BC. As well, one of the priorities set by the 2021 Annual General Meeting (found in Part 1 of the Members’ Guide) is that the BCTF safeguard and improve the health, safety, rights, and security of all members. Further, the Canada Industrial Relations Board, section 37, provides that “a trade union that is the bargaining agent for a unit of employees shall not act in a manner that is arbitrary, discriminatory or in bad faith in the representation of any of the employees in the bargaining unit…”

It also states, “a trade union must not discriminate against any employee on any illegal or prohibited ground, such as age, race, religion, sex or medical condition.” The BCTF needs to be held accountable to upholding its own goals and priorities, as well as the regulations of larger entities to which the union is belongs.

2. Negative impact on the teaching profession The consequences of losing our valuable colleagues will have a negative impact on remaining teachers. BC schools are already facing a teacher shortage. Teaching staff currently experience consequences such as missed preparation time or having no coverage for their class when they are ill. Administrators and support teachers are frequently pulled from their duties to cover teacher absences. Losing qualified teachers could result in long-fought-for class-size and composition language being ignored as students without a teacher are shuffled into existing classrooms.

Alternatively, many districts have policies in place to hire uncertified adults to fill those vacant positions. This could set a precedent of hiring untrained, unqualified persons to work in the same capacity as trained and licensed BC educators. Existing teachers will now bear the burden of coaching and explaining to new personnel. All of this will undoubtedly further weaken the reputation of BC’s teaching profession in the eyes of the public.

3. Potential legal challenges Our BCTF Code of Ethics is very clear that we must maintain high standards of professional service and conduct toward students, colleagues, and the professional union. The BCTF is not a medical entity and, as such, should not be recommending medical treatments for students and staff.

This is beyond the professional capacity of both the President and the union as a whole. While the BCTF Executive Committee seems confident that a vaccine mandate for members would not contravene any laws, there are numerous laws, codes, and acts that could be violated, resulting in costly legal challenges. These include, but are not limited to, the following: a. Bill S-201 (an act to prohibit and prevent genetic discrimination) prohibits any person from requiring an individual to undergo a genetic test or disclose the results of a genetic test as a condition of providing goods or services to, entering into or continuing a contract or agreement with, or offering specific conditions in a contract or agreement with the individual. The enactment also amends the Canada Labour Code to protect employees from being required to undergo or to disclose the results of a genetic test and provides employees with other protections related to genetic testing and test results. As well, it amends the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the ground of genetic characteristics. b. The Immunization Act of 1997 states that “immunization cannot be made mandatory because of the Canadian Constitution.” c. The Nuremberg Code, of which Canada is a signatory, states that voluntary informed consent is essential before performing medical experiments on human beings. The Code also confirms that the person involved should have the legal capacity to give consent without the intervention of any element of force, duress, or other form of constraint or coercion. d. The Constitution Act of 1982, section 52(1) states that the Constitution of Canada is the supreme law of Canada and any law that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution is, to the extent of the inconsistency, of no force or effect. It also confirms that “[e]veryone has the right to life, liberty, and security of the person…” and that “[e]very individual is equal 25

before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination…”

Resolution 127—Kamloops Thompson That the Federation advocate for in-service training for all teachers in districts that are changing to competency-based individual education planning.

Supporting statement To align inclusive education practices with the new curriculum, many districts are adopting competencybased individual education plans (IEPs). While in-service time is provided for learning assistance (resource) teachers on how to write these plans, there has been little consideration of how to inform parents and classroom teachers about the changes. This change will affect the way in which teachers are expected to participate in, monitor, and report on individualized educational goals. Competency-based IEPs require significant collaboration between the case manager and classroom teachers, beyond what traditional IEPs have previously required. Teachers, particularly those who teach multiple subjects and multiple students with IEPs, do not always have time to attend IEP meetings and work with case managers to create individualized goals pertaining to specific competencies and activities in their classes.

TM ch:tfeu

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