On November 29, 2011 the LRB issued its decision on this matter in B214/2011. The LRB denied the BCPSEA application to require the BCTF, on notice from BCPSEA, to reimburse school districts for an amount equivalent to the duties that teachers are not performing due to the strike. BCPSEA has today applied for reconsideration of that specific decision. 

The primary ground for our reconsideration is that the original decision did not properly interpret the LRB’s role in an essential services dispute.

Attachment: LRB Application for Reconsideration

The Labour Relations Board (LRB) issued a decision (B221/2011) last week providing, on an interim basis, that:

BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) members will continue to mark the identified Provincial exams as they have in the past, subject to administrators being utilized to the best extent possible. The parties should discuss how to implement this direction at the local level and ensure that marking is done in a timely manner to ensure a student’s progress is not impeded.

In a decision (B221/2011) issued on December 2, 2011, the LRB ordered, on an interim basis, that:

• BCTF members will continue their activities with respect to the Oral Component of the Français langue première 12 and Français langue seconde immersion 12 in the usual manner at the times currently scheduled or to be scheduled.

On December 6, 2011 BCTF filed an application with the LRB seeking several changes to the order.

The LRB has now issued a decision by letter (attached) that dismisses BCTF’s application with

The BCTF has been directing teachers not to conduct the oral component of the provincial French language examinations that are or will be scheduled for students to take between December 5 and January 13.

The BCTF has also directed teachers not to mark the “essay” components of provincial exams that are marked locally (English 10, English 10 First Peoples, Francais Langue Premiere 10, Civics 11, Éducation civique 11, Social Studies 11, Sciences humaines 11, BC First Nations Studies 12, and Études des Premières Nations de la C.-B. 12 (“ the identified Provincial exams”).

In a decision (B221/2011 attached) issued today, December 2, 2011, the LRB has issued a ruling that provides, on an interim basis, that: 

• BCTF members will continue their activities with respect to the Oral Component of the Français langue première 12 and Français langue seconde immersion 12 in the usual manner at the times currently scheduled or to be scheduled; and 
• BCTF members will continue to mark the identified Provincial exams as they have in the past, subject to administrators being utilized to the best extent possible. The parties should discuss how to implement this direction at the local level and ensure that marking is done in a timely manner to ensure a student’s progress is not impeded.

Attachment: LRB Decision B221/2011

In a decision (B214/2011 attached) issued late today, November 29, the Labour Relations Board (LRB) has declined to find in favour of the employers’ application seeking a variance to the Essential Services Order to:

• require teachers to prepare and distribute report cards, and
• require the BCTF, upon notice to BCPSEA, to reimburse each school district monthly in an amount equal to 15% of the total gross salaries and benefits costs paid to or on behalf of BCTF members by the school district for that month.

Attachment: LRB Decision B214-2011