The Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association wasted little time putting local school officials on notice Wednesday in the wake of a court victory over the B.C. government.
The union sent the school board a letter saying it expects trustees to uphold the court decision and restore provisions stripped from teachers’ contracts in 2002.
The letter said trustees now have a legal obligation to reduce the size of classes, restrict the number of students with special needs in classrooms, and hire more librarians, counsellors and other specialist teachers.
“We just want them to be on notice that the courts made a declaration that the collective agreement’s in effect,” said GVTA spokeswoman Tara Ehrcke.
“So we would anticipate they would begin trying to fix all the classes that are out of compliance.”
Ehrcke said local high schools begin their second semester Friday and could immediately take steps to limit the size of classes.
“If they do it now, they won’t disrupt students,” she said.
“They could have [teachers on call] in those classes on Friday and they could be meeting the terms of the law.”
Ehrcke acknowledged it would be more difficult to immediately correct elementary and middle school classes.
“But, as far as we’re concerned, the agreement’s in effect,” she said.
Greater Victoria board chairwoman Peg Orcherton declined comment on the union’s letter. She said the board will have to meet to discuss the implications of the B.C. Supreme Court decision before responding.
Justice Susan Griffin delivered a stinging rebuke of the B.C. government Monday, ruling that it twice passed unconstitutional laws that interfered with teachers’ rights to negotiate working conditions.
She awarded the B.C. Teachers’ Federation $2 million and restored provisions removed from teachers’ contracts in 2002. She noted, however, that language is not clad in stone and will likely be the subject of negotiations.
Premier Christy Clark said Tuesday that government lawyers were reviewing the ruling, but likely would file an appeal.
The BCTF said the Greater Victoria union’s response is not part of a provincewide strategy. The federation said local unions are autonomous and free to deal with boards in their own way.
Ehrcke said union members also have the option of filing grievances if they are working in classes that are too big, lack proper supports or have too many students with special needs.
The Greater Victoria district alone could face “hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands” of grievances for violating contract provisions that were in place in 2002, she said.
“The government and the ministry ought to be providing funding so that compliance is a possibility,” she said. “Even if they do appeal, right now [the agreement is] in effect. You would think that steps and efforts would be taken to address that.”
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