Sabre Rattling.....Perhaps. Teacher strike looming ?

[terrym]

Lots of kids coming out of teachers college that can't find a job. Fire the ones that vote to strike, get rid of the union and hire the recent grads. Problem solved.

Not sure I would go that far. Completely removing a right to strike I don't think is necessary. What I do think is necessary is making it law that contracts can not include salary increases unless there is a balanced budget. I would make it illegal to force a deficit to pay for a wage increase in the public service. If times are good then everybody benefits. If times are bad then the PS also shares in the hardships and realities. Working for the PS should not insulate anybody from economic realities. Passing on massive debt to our children is wrong.
And trust me, I have a kid in teacher's college so getting rid of deadwood in that industry has more than a little appeal to me. What I would like to see is to make retired teachers not be allowed to return as subs unless all unemployed teacher grads are offered the gigs first.

[Bushmoose]

What I would like to see is to make retired teachers not be allowed to return as subs unless all unemployed teacher grads are offered the gigs first.

My wife is a secretary for the bd of ed. here in the Soo. She see's this nonsense all the time. Retiring at full pension then coming right back into the system as a casual... full time! Granted, it is the board that condones it since it is them who is hiring them back.

[terrym]

My wife is a secretary for the bd of ed. here in the Soo. She see's this nonsense all the time. Retiring at full pension then coming right back into the system as a casual... full time! Granted, it is the board that condones it since it is them who is hiring them back.

My wife and I were quite involved in our kid's schools when they were in elementary, and saw it all the time. We also know people who are retired teachers who do exactly what you described. No retired teacher should be allowed to work if a certified grad is available to fill the spot. If you can't find a grad then so be it but in this market it would never happen. What we have are small groups of what often are friends of principals having steady gigs as supply teachers and hundreds of unemployed grads. The entire education system is broken and needs to be redone.

[Bushmoose]

What we have are small groups of what often are friends of principals having steady gigs as supply teachers and hundreds of unemployed grads. The entire education system is broken and needs to be redone.

BINGO! These people have worked together for years. They let their buddy (the Principal) know they will be available and lo 'n' behold a long term position comes up and they get the call. Principals are management and hold a lot of sway within the board. A few words to the supt. (who in all likelihood is a buddy also) and they're in.
Oh, the stories I could tell if I knew I wouldn't get my wife in deep crud!

[DGearyFTE]

What's that? A group of overly entitled individuals with no grasp on reality, has a problem with the other group of same that made promises it wont keep?....

Where's the popcorn and my easy chair...this is gonna be good.

Thanks Steve, I needed a good giggle. Yup, this should be fun. Admittedly I am torn. I want both sides to loose!

[mosquito]

I just want the kids to win for once, they have always been the losers so far when it comes to Teachers negotiations and the usual strikes.

[Bluebulldog]

I worked in a union workplace for 34 of my 37 rears, two different unions. At no time did a union steward/person ever encourage me to vote for any particular party.

At $12 a month, might I assume that this was quite a while ago?

To be fair, there are quite a few Union Shops that are probably like that, but I can assure you that no public sector union ( education included), is not very actively political. Public sector unions are what handed Wynne her majority, and they indeed used every bit of influence with their membership.

[Bluebulldog]

I just want the kids to win for once, they have always been the losers so far when it comes to Teachers negotiations and the usual strikes.

Sadly, this is never the case.

Our children are effectively held hostage by the greed that exists within these organizations.

[trimmer21]

Isn't that a sweet heart deal? Out the front door with the Golden Handshake and in the back door with the bag of money. Once I decided to retire,the die was caste. There was no turning back and once you're out,it's forever. None of this nonsense is ever allowed to happen. The Public Service unions need a huge comeuppance and reality check. The trick is electing a government that's tough enough to do it.

[Rugger]

Couple things to keep in mind:
When a teacher moves from being a full time teacher to supply they open up a full time spot for new teachers.
Retired teachers are now limited to 50 days supply per year and after that they start having their pension docked.
The faster we can get a teacher who is "Done" out of the full time classroom the better.

I think the much more significant issue is those teachers who can take (seemingly endless) long-term leaves without going on a long term disability or whatever and therefore the boards must keep paying them as a full time teacher and keep their jobs open for them. Meaning that there is a supply doing their job for years without being granted full time employment. Although there are supposed to be controls it seems every school has a number of these ghost teachers who have been out for 4, 5, 8 years some have never set foot in the school.