Bulletin – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

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Last year marked the first time September 30th – the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – was recognized as a federal statutory holiday. The Province of B.C. made a public commitment to engage Indigenous Peoples on how to best observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation followed by engagement with stakeholders in key business sectors.

As the province continues consultations with Indigenous peoples, it is advising all public sector employers, including K-12 public schools, that the same process should be followed as last year. September 30 should again be observed as a statutory day for remembrance this year for those employees who are normally entitled to federal and provincial statutory days.

The Ministry of Education has advised school districts that in recognition of the province’s approach and based on collective agreement provisions granting federal statutory holidays to some district staff, districts should plan that schools will not be in operation on that day.

Front facing dash cameras on school buses

The CUPE BC K-12 committee has investigated provincial funding for front facing dash cameras on school buses. The following information may be helpful for CUPE locals interested in advocating for front facing dash cameras as a way of increasing safety for students and bus drivers.

School districts have access to funding to replace buses when they reach a certain age or mileage through  Ministry of Education’s Bus Acquisition Program (BUS), within the Minor Capital Programs.

Replacement funding for buses includes between $7500 and $10,000 for additional options that school districts can select. One of these options is front facing dash cameras, which cost approximately $2500 – $3500.

It is a school district’s decision which options to select. The Ministry of Education has been informed by the Association of School Transportation Services of B.C. that approximately 80 per cent of new bus purchases include camera systems, either internal or external. It is up to school districts which options they choose to select.

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Bulletin – Updates announced for K-12 COVID protocols

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The provincial health officer announced changes to several public health orders this week, meaning the B.C. Centre for Disease Control has updated it’s Public Health Guidance for the K-12 sector. The revised guidance will take effect on the first day of the school’s spring break.

The complete updated Provincial COVID-19 Communicable Disease Guidelines for K-12 Settings is now online.

The major changes include:

  • Masks will no longer be required, but instead a personal choice of students, staff, and visitors.
  • Students and staff with COVID-19 symptoms should follow current BCCDC advice on how long to isolate. A summary of BCCDC guidance can be found in the Provincial COVID-19 Communicable Disease Guidelines for K-12 Settings, appendix A – page 28.
  • People developing symptoms while at school, and who are unable to participate in regular activities, should be supported to go home.
  • Schools can go back to routine visitor policies, and routine pick up/drop off practices.
  • Events taking place in schools with only students, staff and necessary volunteers from that school can be 100 percent capacity. Events taking place in schools that include people beyond that school should be limited to 50 people or 50 percent capacity, whichever is greater. Once the PHO Gatherings and Events Order is lifted on April 7, all events can return to 100 percent capacity.
  • Events and field trips taking place in venues outside a school can take place with proof of vaccination, but schools should make every effort not to plan activities that might exclude someone if proof of vaccination is required.

Schools are being directed to continue to be supportive in environments where both those continuing or not continuing with personal prevention practices (e.g., wearing a mask or face covering) will be supported and treated with respect.

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Bulletin – Bargaining Update: far apart on money issues, more work to be done

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The K-12 provincial bargaining committee met last week with their counterparts from the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association. This third session focused primarily on monetary issues, including wages and term for a new provincial framework agreement.

After years of chronic underfunding by past provincial governments, inflation driving up our province’s already high cost of living, and the toll of a 2-year long pandemic, school support workers are falling farther behind. From the opening of these talks, the K-12 bargaining committee has been clear that the top priority for school support workers is the need for wage increases that recognize the vital role they play in our public schools and our communities.

In last month’s throne speech, the provincial government committed to tying increases to provincial minimum wages to inflation rates, a policy it says will “make everyday life more affordable” for workers.

The K-12 bargaining committee is firm that the starting point to fairness for school support workers are wage increases that reflect the rising cost-of-living in line with current inflation rates. But the BCPSEA’s first wage offer falls far short of addressing the financial pressures being carried by school support workers and their families and does not live up to the province’s commitment to “leave no worker behind.”

Our members are highly trained, qualified, and dedicated to public service. They are ready to take on new opportunities – such as expanding our school systems to be places for early learning that can be for childcare, before and after school. They are ready to face new challenges – as they did throughout the pandemic keeping our schools clean and healthy, and keeping them running for all students.

But to keep serving B.C. communities, K-12 support staff need to be properly resourced, treated with respect, and paid fairly.  The province and BCPSEA must live up to their commitment and recognize the crucial role school support workers have in a high-quality public education system that better serves and cares for students, offers more support for families, and benefits everyone in our communities.

The parties are committed to meet again in the future to continue bargaining.

Over the past 2 years, our members have been told time and time again that their work is critical to keeping students learning, families supported, schools clean and healthy, and communities thriving. We remain hopeful a wage settlement can be reached that reflects the value and importance of our work and does not leave our members behind.

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Bulletin – March Mobilizing Mondays!

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K-12 locals across the province are in preparations for local bargaining. So, throughout March, CUPE Education is launching Mobilizing Mondays – every Monday of the month CUPE will be virtually hosting the Mobilizing for Bargaining workshop for K-12 locals.

In this online workshop, locals will learn to assess how well their members are engaged. The session covers building power by mobilizing members to build solidarity and support for the bargaining committee.

This is an excellent training opportunity for local mobilization committees. Registrations for these workshops are free of charge to CUPE locals. Locals are responsible for other associated costs (i.e., member book-offs).

The workshops will be held over Zoom in English every Monday in March, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Pacific Time.

K-12 locals will get priority registration, but please register for the preferred date as soon as possible. The deadline to register for the first session is March 4. More information on the workshops and registration is available in the links below.

Register TODAY for Mobilizing Monday!

Click here to register for March 7, 2022

Click here to register for March 14, 2022

Click here to register for March 21, 2022

Click here to register for March 28, 2022

If you’d like more information on the workshops, please contact Logan Lamerton at llamerton@cupe.ca.

If you need assistance with registration, please contact Darlene Wilson at dwilson@cupe.ca.

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Bulletin – Updates for K-12 sector COVID guidelines

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Last week, the provincial health officer announced changes to public health orders. The B.C. Centre for Disease Control has updated its guidance to the K-12 sector on the preventative measures needed to limit the spread of COVID in schools. As of February 18, some of the enhanced measures implemented earlier this year have been rescinded.

All schools and other learning environments can return to the preventative measures outlined in the Provincial COVID-19 Communicable Disease Guidelines for K-12 Settings. These are the preventative measures that were in place at the start of the school year. This means:

  • School gatherings and events (i.e., assemblies) with students from the same school no longer have specific capacity limits.
  • Indoor extracurricular activities should not exceed 50 percent capacity or 50 people (whichever is greater).
  • Spectators are permitted for gatherings and events (e.g., performances, sports events) within capacity limits.
  • Schools should not implement proof of vaccination requirements for school-led gatherings and events.
  • Visitors are no longer limited to those supporting activities of direct benefit to student learning and wellbeing.

As a reminder, masks are still required for staff, students and visitors while indoors in schools and school buses.

Take-home COVID test expanding

The provincial government has announced that K-12 students will soon be supplied with take-home rapid antigen tests. In the coming weeks, each student will be given a five pack of the rapid tests for home use. No specific timeline has been announced yet, but the tests are expected to be distributed through schools in the coming weeks.

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