1981-1982

Cliff Paluck, President (25% release time)
Doris Carey, Past President
Lida Plummer, Secretary
Ben Warkentin, Treasurer
Bud Buckle, Agreements Chairperson
David Wall, Agreements Committee

JOINT HOUSING COMMITTEE
A Joint Housing Committee was established to consider solutions to the problem of
inadequate and expensive housing in some parts of School District No. 1. An area of
particular concern is the housing situation in Elkford. In November, at least six teachers
at Elkford Elementary School are considering the termination of their assignments because
of high rental costs.

RESTRAINT PROGRAM
Old/new executive members met with Mr. Coffin, Superintendent of Schools, and Mr.
Van Eynde, Secretary-Treasurer, on Wednesday, June 9th to discuss budget reductions.
The FDTA has struck an ad hoc committee that will work over the summer months
developing strategies for responding to the restraint program.

PRESIDENT'S RELEASE TIME
At the June 9th meeting with Mr. Coffin, it was stated that the president's release time
should be covered by a part-time teacher rather than a substitute teacher. This may mean
a small increase in our association's membership fees.

1982-1983

Bill Fite - President
Ted Makar - Pro D
Jan Makar - Status of Women
Joe Jamison - Treasurer
Cliff Hatelid - Bargaining Chairperson

FISCAL RESTRAINT PLAN FROM SCHOOL BOARD
August 31 meeting resulted in the School Board presenting the following five options:
1. Salary rollback of 7%
2. Less teaching days with no pay for days off
3. Termination
4. Combination of the above
5. No Action

BILL 89
This fiscal restraint bill was introduced in September, 1982. The legislation does away
with all paid non-instructional days. Teachers lose twice in 1983. First, five days are
deducted from salaries by the shortening of the school year in June. Secondly, teachers
will work longer days to make up for the ones that are lost in June.

TIGHT CLASSROOM SCHEDULE ARRANGED FOR START-UP
Two separate schools will exist in Sparwood Secondary for the start of the school year.
Sparwood Secondary students will attend classes from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and
Elkford Secondary students will attend classes from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Five 50-minute
periods per day or four 60-minute periods are under consideration. The situation will
remain until the construction lockout is over and Elkford Secondary School is completed.
The secondary school is expected to be finished three weeks after construction resumes.

1983-1984

William Fite, President

LAYOFFS

1984-1985

Joe Paniec, President
George Popp, Vice President
Joe Jamison, Treasurer
Dave Pidgeon, Bargaining Chairperson
Deb Smith, Status of Women
Kathy Stone - Professional Development
Lida Plummer - LWC
John Mill - Public Relations
Alice Campbell, Social

"LET'S TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS" PAMPHLET
The provincial government - forums??? Teachers throughout the province object to this review process and have continually asked for representation on any committee which deals with education. What we are questioning is the process itself. Normally such a review process would take years, but the ministry has allotted only a 2 or 3 hour meeting for public response. The public should be aware that the process of reviewing a complex social institution such as our education system is complicated and demanding. It is far beyond the scope of a few public meetings.
May 8 General Meeting the membership voted overwhelmingly to support an Active Instruction Only Campaign, as proposed by the steering committee of: George Popp, Roy McLean, Gerri Madsen, Kate Noakes and Joe Paniec.
The Campaign is based on getting the resolution of several items: Bargaining - achieving a fair settlement; Teacher service levels - reconciling the fact that ministry says we should have 224 teachers and we have approx. 210, and Personnel Practices - being treated as people.
Employee/Employer Assistance Program
In February 1985 a draft policy for the Employee/Employer Assistance Program was drawn up.

NEGOTIATIONS:
Fall of 84: Bargaining for a 6 month contract from January 85 - June 85 achieved. Includes an increase in prep time and no other contract changes. Major changes in seniority agreement; could not reach agreement on salary - this item went to arbitration. Net result was an arbitrated award of 3.75%.
Spring of 85: Bargaining for a 12 month contract from July 85 - June 86. Peck refused arbitrated award of 3.75%; this lead to bargaining for an 18 month contract to cover both periods. After much pressure, the net result was teachers accepted a 1.5% salary increase for entire period.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS
This was a discussion paper presented to the province by a select government appointed committee. The objective of the paper and the ensuing public meetings was to change the School Act. Such changes were to be made on the results of these meetings. The BCTF and local associations have had no direct part in the committee other than to make presentations at the various public meetings, which our association has done. We were generally well received at these meetings and managed to present our views to the public.

ACTIVE INSTRUCTION ONLY CAMPAIGN
Our work to rule campaign began during the latter part of May and was the direct result of teacher frustration with the Board regarding bargaining, service levels and personnel practices. The campaign did work: We have achieved some significant, although immeasurable gains, ie. the liaison committee, bargaining is complete, a binding of the membership and good public support

1985 - 1986

Pat Robertson, President (50% Leave)
George Popp, Vice President
Sandy Cervo, Treasurer
Meredith Morrill-Smith, Secretary
GR: Cliff Paluck
Alternate Geographic Rep: George Popp
Treasurer: Joe Jamieson
Pro-D: Bill Fite
Status of Women - Debbie Smith
L& WC: Alex James
Social: Lori Fontana
Safety: Rick Ortega
Bargaining Chairperson: Walter Blais
Agreements Chairperson: Joe Jamieson

PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT EXCERPTS
This year has been a very challenging and enjoyable year for me. The year started out very quickly. A few days after being elected, I flew to Kitimat. The local association president, Steve Cardwell, had been suspended by the superintendent for refusing to speak to him about association business. Seventy of the Seventy-five districts were represented in Kitimat at a special presidents meeting called by the Federation. It truly was a show of force and many people felt revitalized after three long years of frustration within the school system. Steve was reinstated and the rest of us went home.
During the last two weeks of August, Bill Fite and I talked at length about Professional Development. We bounced back and forth different ideas about restructuring Professional Development within the association. We met with Mr. Coffin during the last week fo August to discuss these plans. Many of those ideas were implemented. Ideas such as the needs survey, the major district conference day, the new 60/40 split for many allocation, and increasing the Pro D fund. I would hope to see even more strengthening of the Pro D function in the coming year.
January brought bargaining, starting with the extended zone meeting on January 17 and 18 in Cranbrook. At the January 22 General Meeting, Walter Blais was elected Bargaining Chairperson. The next month was spent by the Bargaining team gathering surveys and setting bargaining objectives for contract talks. Talks with the Board began on February 18 and concluded on May 13. We went arbitration on May 26 and 27 and were ultimately awarded 1% on grid.

COMPENSATION STABILIZATION PROGRAM - Ed Peck, Commissioner

1986 - 1987

Pat Robertson - President (50% release time)
Allan Smitten - Vice-president
Sandy Cervo - Treasurer
Jan Barnett - Secretary & Social
Allyster Norman - Bargaining
Margaret James - WLC
Deb Smith - Status of Women
Cliff Paluck - LAR
Lida Plummer - Alternate LAR
George Popp - Liaison Committee
Walter Blais - Liaison Committee
Jan Maker - Liaison Committee
Dave Squance - Education Committee
Tina Grunstrom - Education Committee
John Mill - Joint Budget Committee
John Bisal - Deferred Salary Plan
Keith Regular - Racism
Maureen Valikoski - Pro D

DEFERRED SALARY PLAN
The deferred salary leave plan has been straightened out after much time and energy was put in by John Bisal, Tom Foran, and Fred Gietz. Present and future participants will be grateful for the work they have done on behalf of the association.

BARGAINING AND PROFESSIONAL RIGHTS ACTION PLAN
On April 4, Cliff Paluck and myself (Pat Robertson) attended a special meeting called by the Ministry of Education. The meeting was to release the new legislation, Bills 19 & 20. That afternoon, a special meeting of the BCTF was held to start planning strategies to those bills. On April 9, Cliff and I (Pat) attended a special RA held in Victoria where an action plan was adopted by the BCTF, which was ratified by each local association in the province.
On April 28, teachers province-wide withdrew their services for a one day study session. Our study session was attended by 95% of the teachers in the district. The day was well used to study the bills and to talk to colleagues about the implications of these two bills.
Cliff and I were back in Vancouver on May 8 for another special strategy meeting. At that time the BCTF reconfirmed its alliance with the BC Federation of Labour. In May, Bill 20 passed its third reading and Bill 19 was in its second reading. The BC Fed decided to hold a one day general strike on June 1. This was the first general strike, in sixty years, in British Columbia. The one day strike showed the government how vehemently opposed labour is to the two bills. Since that day, the public opinion on the bills has changed and the majority of people are against what the government is attempting to do. The consultation that Bill Vander Zalm has promised has instead been a series of confrontations.

1987 - 1988

Bill Fite, President
George Popp, Vice President
Kate Noakes, Secretary
Sandy Cervo, Treasurer
Cliff Paluck, LAR
Mike Tomney, Bargaining
Alix James, WLC
Judy Cutchie, Pro D
Peter Harwood, Social
John Mill, Disputes
Alister Normn, Liaison
Keith Regular, Racism
Pat Robertson, Past President
John Mill Adjudication
Faye Hickerson, SOW

BILL 19 & 20
The local association will undergo many major changes during the next year to conform to the legislation of Bill 19 & 20. What follows is a step by step description in as short a form as possible:
1. Form local voluntary association for the purpose of bargaining.
2. Vote to seek certification
3. have membership drive
4. apply for certification
5. Labor relations holds vote
6. Attempt to bargain first contract
In the meantime the 1986/87 contract has been rolled over to cover the 1987/88 school year. The only change is a 3% wage increase.
Rep Assembly BCTF
The rep assembly met August 28 to recommend changes to the special general meeting October 1. The most hotly debated issue on the floor was the recommendation on the floor that the BCTF should take on Jan 1, 1988 that recommendation was that the BCTF be a combination for certified unions and local associations. The executive members that attended that summer conference didn't support the final decision. We supported a position that pushed for all locals to be certified within two years.

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING - BCTF
Saturday, Kate Noakes, Alix James, Cliff Paluck, John Mill and myself (Bill Fite) attended a Special General Meeting in Vancouver. We carried your wishes that the BCTF be a union of certified locals and fought all day for that point of view. The outcome was that the By-Law recommendation number 9 that stated that both associations and certified locals could be members did not pass.
Other points of interest were that Principals will be able to take out limited membership in the BCTF.
The meeting unanimously voted to become a trade union and all other by-laws were passed to carry that desire out.
Instruction-Only Campaign.

PRINCIPALS
As many of us are aware, members of our association have been transferred. They also have been legislated out of our local bargaining Unit (FDTA) but may still belong to the BCTF or any other organization they wish to.

PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT
As most of you will remember, at this time last year we were in a job action over the board's refusal to bargain or even to live up to clauses already agreed to during last years round of bargaining. We had been forced to arbitration to settle a wage increase and the AGM gave direction as to the memberships feelings. At issue were:
Personnel Practice Clauses
Arbitrated Salary Increase
Membership Protection Package
Honouring of Clauses already agreed to
The arbitrated settlement was in question as to if the board would pay it in September. This issue was resolved by a court decision carried forward by the BCTF on behalf of the locals with arbitrated awards.
The honoring of clauses was solved directly by the job action taken in the fall. Due to the pressure that was applied to the board, the agreed to clauses were returned to the table and signed off.
The membership protection package was dealt with through the Joint Committee. As the arbitrated award contained the bridging clause, all that was needed was to define what the bridging clause really meant. This was done and to this point has served us well. The Bridging clause now states that the present contract continues until such time as we have a new contract. Terms and conditions of the old School Act also apply in the areas of sick leave, reports and termination, and job/union security.

BILLS 19 and 20
While we were trying to bargain a contract. The present government introduced and passed Bills 19 and 20. These two pieces of legislation have changed the educational community forever. The legislation had several goals, not all of which were achieved. One goal was to decrease the power of the BCTF and its locals. This didn't happen and, if anything, the opposite is true. Secondly, the principals were removed from the local association bargaining units. They became, as the Minister put it, real managers. While the legislation did remove these teachers from the bargaining units, the majority of administrators still work hand in hand with teachers. Another goal was to change the bargaining format under which teachers develop contracts. This was meant to put us in the "real world" so to speak. Well, if the real world is being able to finally bargain all terms and condition of employment, then thank you very much. Finally, I believe that this legislation has served another advantage that was not foreseen. It has focused public attention on education and the problems within. As professionals we are able to now address these problems at the bargaining table.

CERTIFICATION AND SIGN-UP
With bills 19 and 20 came sign-up and certification. The BCTF became the union and the FDTA became the local of that union. At present we have 99.6% of the FTE teachers in the District as members of the union. We also have 15 substitutes who have joined. The present membership of local #1 (FDTA) of the BCTF is 230 members.