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NDP Education critic Jim Tredger

Teachers being treated disrespectfully: critic

The Yukon government is abusing Yukon temporary teachers by continuing to deny permanent job status, says NDP Education critic Jim Tredger.

By Chuck Tobin on October 30, 2014

The Yukon government is abusing Yukon temporary teachers by continuing to deny permanent job status, says NDP Education critic Jim Tredger.

Tredger said this morning the government’s continuing refusal is also illegal, but the practice continues on a regular basis.

Under the law, the Department of Education is obligated to provide permanent status if they want to keep teachers who’ve worked on temporary contracts for two consecutive years, unless there are “exceptional circumstances,” he pointed out.

Tredger said the Yukon Supreme Court recently upheld the requirement for permanent status in the case of one teacher who filed a grievance, a grievance which was supported by the Yukon Teachers’ Association.

But yet, the practice continues, he said.

“They are not treating them with respect or dignity,” said the critic, a former teacher and principal who spent more than 20 years in the Yukon’s school system.

“My concern is they are taking advantage of hiring people long-term on temporary contracts.”

The Education Labour Relations Act, the critic pointed out, allows the deputy minister to extend temporary contracts beyond two years if there are “exceptional circumstances”, and sometimes there are.

But the government is using the provision as a loophole to abuse the use of temporary contracts, he said.

Tredger said it’s simply not fair to string teachers along year after year without providing them with certainty of their future.

At the end of the school year each June, they’re wondering if they’ll have a job come September, he said.

The Education critic said that uncertainty comes with consequences, such as not being able to satisfy the bank they’re a safe bet for a housing mortgage.

“That is disruptive to the school, to the community and to the teachers.”

Education Minister Elaine Taylor was in meetings this morning and unavailable for comment.

In response to Tredger’s questions in the legislature about the issue Wednesday, Taylor said the government recognizes the importance of temporary teachers.

They have an important role in replacing staff who can be on leave for a variety of reasons, from maternity leave to extended health issues, she said.

The government, said the minister, is working with the teachers’ association to address the matter.

“Again, our temporary employees are very valued citizens of our community,” Taylor told the legislature.

“They play a very important role in all of our education in the territory. We’ll continue to work with YTA on this and on many other issues of importance.”

Association president Katherine Mackwood was away and unavailable today to discuss the issue.

Douglas Rody, the association’s general secretary, said the association is continuing to meet with the government about the issue of temporary teachers.

Tredger said the number of teachers who have been extended beyond two years on a temporary contracts varies from every year.

Last year, he’s heard there were some 30 grievances filed, and so far this year, he’s heard there’s been 13, he said.

Tredger said it’s his understanding the number has been as high as 70 in years gone by.

Comments (3)

Up 4 Down 13

martin oreste on Oct 31, 2014 at 5:45 pm

To Jimmy Mac: I cannot believe what I am reading. Have you never heard of the “calling” or vocation? Some teachers go into teaching because they LOVE to help in forming children’s future. You write well and it appears to me that you’re higher educated; however your opinion here makes me doubt it. If you have children, I feel sorry for their education from you and at home. By the way: I am NOT –and never been- a teacher.

Up 15 Down 10

Jimmy Mac on Oct 31, 2014 at 3:06 pm

Term contracts allow schools flexibility in staffing. I'm sure Mr. Tredger, the Teachers Association, and the teachers themselves would prefer a term contract to a spot on the sub list.
Perhaps if the Teachers association didn't advocate for so many faux-stress leaves for their permanent teachers, and there was some accountability for educators not up to par, there would be more permanent jobs available to young hungry teachers.
For such an educated lot, one would think teachers would pick a profession hiring, not one on the decline.

Up 19 Down 0

Salar on Oct 31, 2014 at 2:18 pm

Hopeless effort trying to push the Dept of Ed......too "our way" and or "whatever way we want" for any politician to influence......there have been MLA's asked to help folks all over the Territory deal with that dept and they were either too afraid, too inept and or too familiar with the response to do anything.

The good ol' Yukon....lives and dies everyday

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