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VICTORIA – The province is providing an advance payment on behalf of individual members of the B.C. College of Teachers who have not paid their annual membership fees, Education Minister Christy Clark said today.
“Government’s first priority is students,” said Clark. “This advance will prevent cancelled memberships and ensure teachers remain in their classrooms with students.”
Earlier this month, government responded to the concerns of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation (BCTF), individual teachers and the public by ensuring a majority of elected members on the college governing council. The new college council will be made up of 12 elected and eight appointed members.
However, the BCTF has still not submitted the fees it is holding in trust for its members. The union is expected to make a decision regarding the payment of fees at its representative assembly in January.
“It’s time for the union to respond,” said Clark. “Individual teachers paid into the union’s ‘democratic college fund’ on the understanding the fees would be paid when government ensured a majority of elected members on the college council. We’ve done that.
“I’m concerned individual teachers may not know their union hasn’t paid their fees. I expect that all outstanding membership fees will be paid, and that government will be reimbursed for the funds it is advancing.”
As part of its changes to the College of Teachers, government will require an oath of office for all council members to ensure the public interest is put first, above all other interests. Government is also encouraging the college to include standards of teacher competence and a public complaint process in its bylaws.
“These changes will ensure the college is independent, there are clear standards of teacher competence, and the college has a process for public complaints about member conduct while respecting teachers’ wishes to have a majority of elected members on the college’s council,” Clark said.
The province expects to pay the fees of about 20,000 individual members as a temporary measure. About 34,000 college members have already paid their $90 fee to the college.
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