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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1978-03-09, Page 5The readers write:Times-Advocate, March 9, 1978 Page 5 SHDHS teachers air views on current strike-lockout situation in Huron Dear Editor: J wish to respond to your board-teacher editorials of February 16. and March 2. The latter date involved a reprint from the Clinton News-Record. Your position, in my opi­ nion. has not produced anv meaningful input into the present Huron County Board-Teacher stalemate. Your continued references to teacher salaries, while it is informative, only in­ flames the situation since that point is not in dispute. Secondary school teachers in this county have con­ tinually accepted lower salaries in comparison to secondary school teachers across the province. I will also remind you that the salary figure used was gross income, not take-home pay. I was amazed at your ap­ parent knowledge of the in­ comes of property owners in our county. Do you have a secret link with the National Revenue Department? When you write about tax­ payers earning less than half of the salary of teachers are you talking about the gross income of taxpayers or their net income? It is also relevant to note that money derived from property tax makes up ap­ proximately thirty percent of what our Board of Educa­ tion spends in a year. The two issues in the con­ tract dispute which have led to the rotation strike and lockout are often mis­ understood. The payment of a retirement gratuity to teachers is not in dispute, but rather at what age the recipient should be. EXETER DECOR CENTRE 1 5 Gidley Si. E. 235-1010 • Almatex Paints & Varnishes • Old Masters Antiquing • Stippletone Textured Finishes • Wallpaper & Accessories QUALITY PRODUCTS AT LOW PRICES In previous contracts, there was no age stipulated for qualification provided that the teacher had taught for at least twelve years with the Huron County Board of Education and then retired from teaching. If the teacher had not used up his or her allotted sickdays.thus saving the board from pay­ ing supply teachers, then the teacher would receive his or her retirement “gift”. In the present situation the teachers offered a minimum qualifying age of forty-two years whereas the board’s position is fifty years of age. The second and more crucial point of disagree­ ment is the staffing formula which would effect classroom conditions. This section does not control the number of teachers hired, since that is controlled by the county-wide pupif- teacher ratio. The PTR ratio has already been settled in this contract. The staffing formula has been an attempt to bring more balance into the classroom conditions from one high school to another in the county, as well as within each high school. Conse­ quently items such as total pupil'period contracts, (P.P.C.’s) total number of teaching periods per teacher, and average class size are spelled out. In this year’s negotiations, the teachers are proposing that a teacher could not have a grievance unless the teacher’s P.P.C.’s and average class size limits both are violated. The board wanted this whole section removed from the contract. Hopefully, by the time you are reading this letter the above problems will be solv­ ed, so I will offer my suggestions for improving future Teacher-Boa rd bargaining in our county. I feel that the board’s employment of a professional negotiator, Fred Reeves, has prolonged negotiations and added to the distrust between board and teachers right from the start of negotiations over one year ago. Therefore no outside agents should be used unless all other avenues toward a settle­ ment fail. I think both board members and teachers should concentrate on rebuilding communication and trust which have been so badly eroded over the past year. Finally, I think you and your ‘newspaper should be more positive and respon­ sible in your reporting of contractual items between board and teachers. Sincerelv, W.J. Hogan Exeter 4 * * Dear Mr. Editor, I wish to make a few com­ ments about the futility of the present strike-lockout situation in Huron County: I will not discuss the details of the dispute. In the past when there was an unresolved conflict between teachers and the Board, the teachers resigned in mass to draw public attention to the dis­ pute. This was considered a very drastic measure and would imply the seriousness of the issues. Bill 100 was passed by the Ontario Legislature to sup­ posedly improve this situa­ tion and to lay down certain procedures to be taken to improve Board-teacher negotiations and to resolve any resultant dispute. One of the provisions is that when negotiations break down and a stalemate occurs, the teachers may go on strike and the Board can counter with a lockout. If a strike-lockout con­ tinues to the point where the provincial government feels the students’ education is in jeopardy, an arbitrator is appointed and a binding settlement is forced. I do not know of any short lived strike-lockouts (28 school days is the average I believe) and it could be weeks before binding ar­ bitration is legislated in Huron. From what I have seen so far in Huron and in other school districts, the strike and subsequent lockout is not helping at all to resolve the dispute. It only tends to harden the position of each side with the resulting charges, counter charges, innuendos. and “mud slinging”. This most likely will have a devastating effect on the overall morals and efficien­ cy of the whole school system for a period long after the strike-lockout is settled. In the meantime, the students are caught in the middle and. ironically, they are by far the greatest number of people affected. We have about 273 teachers. 16 Board members, and 4200 students as well as the custodial, secretarial, cafeteria, transportation and other supporting staffs. It seems therefore, because strikes and lockouts are ineffective in resolving the impasse and because so many innocent people are adversely affected, that TIME FOR COFFEE — Strikers at Fleck Manufacturing at Huron Park on picket duty Monday morning welcomed the arrival of the catering truck with hot coffee. T-A photo Come in and talk over your requirements. We have competitive rates and our loans are life insured at no extra cost. OFFICE HOURS Monday to Thursday Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 9:00 to 8:00 p.m. CLINTON COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION LTD. EXETER BRANCH Now located in the Old Town Hall 322 MAIN ST. 235-0640 teachers as well as any other group (bus drivers, custodians, etc.) that could close the schools should not be allowed to strike and the Boards should not be allow­ ed to lockout. If the employees and the employer cannot sit down and coolly and intelligently reach an agreement, thus fulfilling their responsibility to the public, then that responsibility should be handed over to a third party for binding arbitration or some other means of binding settlement. Strikes and lockouts appear to only prolong the conflict and to destroy all relationships. Zion church ladies mark prayer event By MRS. THOMAS HERN ZION Zion West held their Worlds Day of Prayer meeting, Friday evening in the church, with Centralia UCW as their guests. Group I was in charge of the program with Mrs. Gerald Hern, Mrs. Earl Miller, Mrs. Keith Hern, Mrs. Larry Hern, Mrs. Wayne Hern and Mrs. Thomas Hern taking parts in the service. Mrs. Harold Hern favored with a piano instrumental. Miss Elaine If you feel as I do. that this strike-lockout is useless in settling this dispute, then I urge you to make your wishes known to your representatives in parlia­ ment so that Bill 100 can be amended. The present system can only have a detrimental and downgrading effect upon our school system. Ironically, both sides have expressed concern for the students, but they appear to be doing nothing tangible about it. Students deserve more consideration than just “lip service.”. Sincerely, Ken Otte well. Townshend was guest speaker for the evening. During the church service Sunday morning at Zion West UC the Cross & Crown award pins were given out to Sunday School members by the superintendents Ivan Hern and Dalton Jaques. 4H meeting The fourth meeting of Elimville I Busy Buddies was held March 1 at the home of Mrs. Lome Johns. The leaders and members discussed poisonous plants and also made plans for achievement day. Dear Editor: Having attended all­ candidates meetings spon­ sored by the Huron County Federation of Agriculture before provincial elections I was sure that this organiza­ tion was interested in hear­ ing both sides of a question before making a decision on an issue. However this is ap­ parently not true. On March 2 the Federa­ tion held a meeting at Hen­ sail. Members of the Huron County Board of Education were invited to present their views on the current dispute with the high school teachers of the county. No teachers or their spokesper­ sons were invited to present their side of the question. (You don’t have to be crazy to work here, but it helps.) SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER ARE YOU THINKING OF BUYING A NEW CAR? RENOVATING YOUR HOME? NEED A LOAN? It seems natural to con­ clude from this that the Federation of Agriculture members have closed minds about this question and do not want to try making a balanced judgement. No dis­ pute can be fairly settled un­ Wilson's Jewellery Beside Bank of Montreal Exeter PURCHASE A FINE QUALITY BRIDAL-KNOT DIAMOND Free Annual Insurance. Pleasing you pleases US \Xdl////^ less both sides are heard and their positions evaluated. I would hope that an attempt would be made to hear and weigh the other side of the issue. Sincerely Jerry McDonnell SOFA NOW HALF PRICE KROEHLER 100% NYLON TWO PIECE special prices lighting you'll love Tiffany Special Large white octagon shape decorated with fruit in red and green shades, all glass. Listing 265.00 NOW S 1 HALF PRICE I W ■r« Fibreglass Tiffany Style In multi-color shades Reg, $66.00 ’33NOW HALF PRICE STILL SOME Table Lamps CLEARANCE SALE CONTINUES UNTIL SATURDAY Great Value From Peppier COLONIAL DOUBLE PEDESTAL TABLE Extra large size (44" wide, 66" long) plus two large 15" leaves to give a full size of 96" long. Reg. $570 SPECIAL All new lamp stock 20% OFF UNTIL SATURDAY The lighting gallery is operated by Hopper Hockey Furniture Ltd. *285NOW HALF PRICE Six chairs are available for this table, two arm chairs a $93.00 each and four high-backed spindle chairs a? a special of $79.50 for each chair. All pieces are heavy-duty maple with a no/mar finish. 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