The Burnaby Teachers' Association is attracting criticism from Education Minister George Abbott about an email sent to teachers warning of sanctions if they don't follow the provincewide boycott of extracurricular activities.
On Wednesday in Victoria, Abbott told reporters that it was unfortunate for any union to tell their members what to do on their own time.
"Clearly the (B.C. Teachers' Federation) policy is to strongly discourage their members from participating in extracurriculars and I guess threaten some unspecified step should they not accede to that, so I think that's unfortunate. I think this whole business of any union or any professional association or anyone else telling people what they can do in their own time is, I think, misguided and unfortunate," Abbott said. "I think particularly in this case, where that pressure is leading students to lose great opportunities - in some occasions once-in-a-lifetime opportunities - I think that is truly unfortunate."
Burnaby Teachers' Association president Richard Storch said the BCTF membership voted and made a decision as part of an action plan to not be involved in extracurricular activities.
"It's not exactly correct to say the union is telling members to do something. We, the members, voted to not do something," Storch said.
In mid-April, B.C. teachers voted on their next move in the ongoing labour dispute and adopted a plan that includes withdrawing from extracurricular activities until the end of the school year. According to Storch, the association's email sent to local teachers was to clarify what was covered by that plan. The email states that extracurricular and voluntary activities can continue, but teachers will not be involved.
"Administrators, parents and community volunteers can provide the necessary planning, sponsorship, paperwork and supervision required for the activities to continue. The message is that teachers are not preventing these activities from taking place; we are withdrawing our participation as they are voluntary/extracurricular activities," the letter reads.
The letter also states that the "BCTF and BTA wish to remind all members of BCTF Members' Guide policy 44.2, which allows for sanctions against members who act in opposition to collective action, such as our recent members' vote decided in favour of."
Storch said the BCTF has a code of ethics that requires members to follow the provincial action plan. Sanctions for those who don't could include a warning to the member, publication of the breach, reprimanding the member or suspension of the member's right to hold a representative position in the union.
"They can't revoke your membership. They just revoke your ability to be a representative of the union," Storch said. However, union membership could be revoked in other circumstances, but not for those who disregard a collective vote, he added.
Storch said the Burnaby Teachers' Association has heard complaints from parents, upset about cancelled extracurricular activities, in particular Grade 7 camping excursions and trips to Quebec for French immersion students.
