If it's arbitration "build fences" around it, ASBA President advises Premier Klein
Release date: March 7, 2002
Alberta School Boards Association President Michele Mulder emerged from a meeting
with Premier Ralph Klein, Dr. Lyle Oberg, Minister of Learning and Clint Dunford,
Minister of Human Resources and Employment, "grateful they had listened
carefully to school boards’ views about the current labour situation. I
trust they have the information they need to make the best decisions for the
students of our province."
Acknowledging the ball is in the government's court, Mulder asked the Premier
and his colleagues to "build fences" around an arbitration process,
if that's the route they choose to resolve the current dispute over teacher
salaries. "We asked that any arbitration process focus exclusively on teacher
salaries; that the arbitrator consider what the school board can afford; and
that the arbitration not deal with working conditions," said Mulder. "Working
condition clauses in contracts hamper school boards' ability to make good management
decisions in the best interests of students." She also asked for two-year
deals to provide stability to the system.
On the topic of affordability and sustainability, Mulder said, "It would
cost another $260 million a year, if an arbitrator imposes the wage settlements
and working conditions present in some contracts, on all school boards –
and that’s money school boards do not have."
Given school boards' commitment to local bargaining, Mulder said, "We
asked the Premier that, if the government does intervene, it be on a one-time-only
basis with a commitment to return to local bargaining, which has served Alberta’s
students and the communities that elect school boards very well."Mulder
called for a return to an environment where local bargaining can be successful,
saying, "School boards need the flexibility – including a return to
some measure of local taxation – and autonomy to make decisions locally
as they negotiate with their teachers."
"School boards want to resolve the current impasse over teacher compensation
to bring stability to student learning in the province," said Mulder. "After
months of negotiations – against the backdrop of unprecedented external
intervention – school boards face the prospect of having 350,000 students
in class one day – then within 72 hours of the ATA giving notice –
those students could be out of class. That’s ridiculous and unacceptable."
Looking to the future, once the dust has settled on the dispute over teacher
compensation, the ASBA called on the government to launch a no-holds barred,
forward-looking review of Alberta’s public education system. "Let's
engage all Albertans in a thorough and broad discourse about our public education
system with the goal of creating the best possible system to serve students
into the future."
For more information contact: Michele Mulder, ASBA President
at 1.780.679.5627 (cell).
The Alberta School Boards Association serves and represents all Alberta’s public, separate and francophone school boards.
