Local BCTF head says salaries falling behind other provinces

OSOYOOS TIMES (June 14, 2006)

By Lawrence McMahenrnOsoyoos Times

The head of the South Okanagan-Similkameen Teachers' Union says the 220 teachers here voted even higher than the 85-per-cent support the B.C. Teachers' Federation received for its strike mandate in a provincewide vote last week.
Ritchie Kendrick told the Osoyoos Times teachers feel it's time to put pressure on the provincial government to provide more money for teachers.
While the government has addressed workload and free collective bargaining issues that helped spark the teachers' illegal strike last October, Kendrick says it hasn't yet dealt with salaries that see B.C. teachers paid less than their counterparts in Ontario and Alberta.
The government has offered a total of eight per cent increase over four years, and BCTF is asking for 24 per cent over three years.
We are looking to catch up. If we accepted eight per cent, we would end up by 2009 being one of the lowest-paid provinces in Canada “ 15-25 per cent below our colleagues elsewhere, Kendrick says.
And B.C. and the Okanagan are expensive places to live and buy a house.rnKendrick says relatively low salaries may make it harder to attract young people to teach here, instead of going to Alberta. The attrition rate of teachers is 20-25 per cent in the first five years.rnHe adds a starting teacher in B.C. now makes $39,000 per year and maximum salary after 12 years is $63,000. Kendrick says nurses start at $49,000 and go to a maximum of $80,000.
He notes the strike vote is intended to reaffirm support for the union's position in provincial talks, and the strong vote does that.
We feel optimistic that we will reach a settlement before the end of the government's proposed June 30th deadline. If they do, each teacher stands to gain a $2,500 signing bonus.
There are 175 regular teachers and 45 supply teachers who work at the 10 schools (12 sites) in Okanagan-Similkameen School District 53.
Kendrick says teachers feel they have a great board right now, and relations are good.
Teachers' provincial collective agreement expires June 30.
The B.C. chapter of the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation blasted BCTF for its strike vote.
In a June 9 news release, the CTF's B.C. Director, Sara MacIntyre says this union has never successfully negotiated a collective agreement.rnThe taxpayers' group says teachers earn $43,000-$70,000 per year and enjoy good benefits.
Teachers already get paid much more than the average British Columbian, enjoy a generous benefits package and get the summer off. Now the BCTF is demanding a 24-per-cent wage hike over three years! That's four times the rate of inflation, MacIntyre says.