YTA members ratify collective agreement
The territorial government and the Yukon Teachers’ Association (YTA) announced the ratification of a new collective agreement today.
The territorial government and the Yukon Teachers’ Association (YTA) announced the ratification of a new collective agreement today.
It includes yearly salary increases totalling five per cent over three years.
The agreement covers approximately 840 teachers, education assistants, remedial tutors and native language instructors throughout the territory.
The three-year term will run from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018.
“The negotiations were collegial and collaborative, and I’d like to acknowledge the constructive and positive efforts of our officials in helping to reach this new agreement,” Currie Dixon, the minister responsible for the Public Service Commission, said in a press release today.
“The agreement includes several new provisions and updates that will be of mutual benefit to our government and our employees and the overall Yukon education system.”
“We felt the employer heard, identified with and was responsive to the concerns raised on behalf of Yukon educators,” said Carol Sherlock, the YTA’s acting president.
The new collective agreement includes several provisions to improve student behaviour and student academic achievement through the development of a positive, safe and responsible school culture and an early intervention and literacy development project.
“It was great to see a strong working relationship between the Department of Education and the Yukon Teachers’ Association throughout the negotiations,” Education Minister Doug Graham said.
“We look forward to continuing this positive relationship, as it will ultimately benefit students, teachers and the community.”
Teachers have only resorted to labour action once in the YTA’s history, when former premier Pat Duncan’s Liberal government was in office from 2000 to 2002.
Comments (5)
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Just Say'in on Jun 9, 2015 at 2:39 pm
How about all the professional development days? How is it that they always coincide with a long weekend. We are not blind. See you Fishing in Haines while you are being developed and not just a couple of ya either. I think this type of self help should be gone because it is being abused. Instead teachers should have to study and be tested regularly. Part of the Job.
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Groucho d'North on Jun 8, 2015 at 6:32 pm
Nor am I a teacher but I am a parent who helped two boys through the Yukon education system many years ago. Teachers - there are good ones and not so good ones just like in any other profession. Regular testing of teacher abilities would take care of any slackers in the system and ensure those in front of our children each day are worth their pay and benefits. But the real problem is not with the education system - it's with mom and dad.
The K-12 system is not 12 years of daycare where you get them on the bus each morning and your part is done. It's also making sure they get their homework done in a reasonable fashion, they get a good nights sleep and arrive at school with food in their bellies and a lunch to trade or eat.
Teachers should be there to teach and not be surrogate parents for the lazy and or inept people at home.
Before you criticize a teacher, look in the mirror and recall what you discussed at the last parent -teacher interview.
Rant over, but teachers still need to be tested every couple years or so.
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No I'm not a teacher but on Jun 8, 2015 at 4:45 pm
It's probably an unpopular opinion but teachers work more than a 7.5 hour day and with the nonsense they have to put up with from kids and parents I don't think this increase is unreasonable. Good teachers can have a great impact on kids and they deserve to be recognized for the work that they do
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joella on Jun 5, 2015 at 10:00 pm
Teacher's pay grid, for the year just ending, as found on the Dept of Education website, indicates a salary range of just under 67,000 up to about 107,000 depending upon experience. http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/pdf/teachers_pay_grid_2014.pdf
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JuneJackson on Jun 5, 2015 at 8:33 am
Teachers earn between $90,000 and the highest I've seen is $107,000. a year with 3 months off, holiday, in services, workshops etc. 5% is a pretty hefty increase given that kind of income. Are they worth it? Or do they just have every family with school age kids in town over a barrel?
"The new collective agreement includes several provisions to improve student behaviour and student academic achievement through the development of a positive, safe and responsible school culture and an early intervention and literacy development project." This clause has promise. Good behavior should be taught in the home from infant up..that it is not makes it incumbent on the teacher/babysitter to try to develop behavioral norms with the student..otherwise, she/he can't teach, and nobody learns.
Though I understand these days, the educational criteria is dumbed down so that an 11 grade student only has to show 3rd grade knowledge to pass. I was told that was because failing damaged a child's self esteem. (Wait till they get into the real world with a high school diploma and can't spell cat.)