Hello friends!
Over the past year, we have been meeting with a few former STA Presidents who have shared their wisdom and advice with us. We are very grateful for their guidance.
Continuing the gratitude, I want to thank you for the extraordinary lengths to which you have gone to ensure the well-being and achievements of your students in these challenging times.
Our year started with expectations of a better contract given that we had an “education friendly” political party in power. The salary increases in the Collective Agreement that was ratified by a 94% vote in November 2022 have essentially evaporated given that food inflation for the past two years has been 18%. Small wins were the increases in elementary prep time and the improvements in health benefits. In the new school year, we’ll be talking to members about preparations for the next round of bargaining and how your workload and working conditions are determined by what’s in the collective agreement, not by the “kindness” of the employer.
During the year, we engaged in monthly conversations with the employer on a range of issues from violence experienced by members, to the loss of collaboration time to Teacher Librarian programs, to the lack of supplies, to the possibilities of double decker portables, and let’s not forget overheated classrooms. We take all your concerns directly to the employer and commit to continuing to do that in the new year.
For the past 10 months many of you have sacrificed your own health and well-being to support your students. We strongly urge you to stop doing that please. There will always be more students, but there is only one you. Your students have their families, your family only has you.
Friends, please take time this summer break to fully restore yourself. Relax and rejuvenate because in 8 weeks, we’ll do it all over again. Have a lovely summer.
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