Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[woob]

Will the hiring of teachers and supports follow the same route the building schools did? As in it won’t happen in any useful time frame?

[you&me]

Originally Posted by woob

Will the hiring of teachers and supports follow the same route the building schools did? As in it won’t happen in any useful time frame?

That's really the rub to the whole thing.

Heck, there are probably school sites that were destined to be built when I was in school that still aren't around for my kids today.

Salary negotiations are one thing, but after being a witness to Alberta Education for the last 30++ years, how can anyone put any stock into what the government promises for investment in buildings, class size reduction, supports, etc...

You know the old saying: fool me 15 times, shame on... who?

[Doctorfever]

Originally Posted by you&me

That's really the rub to the whole thing.

Heck, there are probably school sites that were destined to be built when I was in school that still aren't around for my kids today.

Salary negotiations are one thing, but after being a witness to Alberta Education for the last 30++ years, how can anyone put any stock into what the government promises for investment in buildings, class size reduction, supports, etc...

You know the old saying: fool me 15 times, shame on... who?

There may be some sites that were supposed to be built for the last thirty years but haven’t been built yet, but I don’t know that there is a lot of them. Maybe list 15 or so of them and we can debate why.

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

I’m sure there’s some other benefits available to their members, I know they do cover some education advancement costs, but to me not having a strike fund is kinda nuts.

Strike funds work when a portion of the membership are on strike, the working members can contribute to support those on strike.

When all members are on strike, it just isn't feasible. Remember, all of the ATA money comes from teachers. So teachers could have each paid $1000 into a strike fund this past year by increased fees, only to have that same $1000 given back during a strike. It makes more sense just to leave the money in teachers' pockets and let them manage their own money. It also saves all the trouble and expense of collecting and redistributing the money.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Doctorfever

There may be some sites that were supposed to be built for the last thirty years but haven’t been built yet, but I don’t know that there is a lot of them. Maybe list 15 or so of them and we can debate why.

I think the bigger thing is that a developer reserving a site for a future school and school boards / government planning to build schools are two separate things. So the presence of a developer area called a school area is rather meaningless.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

Strike funds work when a portion of the membership are on strike, the working members can contribute to support those on strike.

When all members are on strike, it just isn't feasible. Remember, all of the ATA money comes from teachers. So teachers could have each paid $1000 into a strike fund this past year by increased fees, only to have that same $1000 given back during a strike. It makes more sense just to leave the money in teachers' pockets and let them manage their own money. It also saves all the trouble and expense of collecting and redistributing the money.

But they’re not all going on strike at the same time.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

But they’re not all going on strike at the same time.

They would be locked out or legislated back to work so I don’t see a scenario where there would be a rotating or partial teachers strike for any meaningful length of time.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by GGG

They would be locked out or legislated back to work so I don’t see a scenario where there would be a rotating or partial teachers strike for any meaningful length of time.

Even if it’s only a few weeks it’s better to have some money coming in than not, no?

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

Even if it’s only a few weeks it’s better to have some money coming in than not, no?

Depends how each individual manages their money. If you pay into a strike fund you no longer have any say in how that money is used. The alternative is keeping that money for yourself and using it as a rainy day fund, even investing it as you see fit.

For those who aren’t good at managing money a strike fund makes sense. Either way that’s a pretty personal question but I’d rather keep my money in my account instead of a strike fund.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

Even if it’s only a few weeks it’s better to have some money coming in than not, no?

Personally I’d rather save my own emergency fund that can also be used for major car repairs, health issues, major home repairs, job loss, family member emergencies or anything else that comes up rather than save that money up within a strike fund.

If it’s a lockout the fund doesn’t work as Eric described, if they are legislated back it isn’t needed either.
This upcoming strike will have teachers legislated back to work with a week.

[malcolmk14]

Originally Posted by GGG

Personally I’d rather save my own emergency fund that can also be used for major car repairs, health issues, major home repairs, job loss, family member emergencies or anything else that comes up rather than save that money up within a strike fund.

If it’s a lockout the fund doesn’t work as Eric described, if they are legislated back it isn’t needed either.
This upcoming strike will have teachers legislated back to work with a week.

I could see this current government trying to starve teachers out.

[indes]

Originally Posted by you&me

That's really the rub to the whole thing.

Heck, there are probably school sites that were destined to be built when I was in school that still aren't around for my kids today.

Salary negotiations are one thing, but after being a witness to Alberta Education for the last 30++ years, how can anyone put any stock into what the government promises for investment in buildings, class size reduction, supports, etc...

You know the old saying: fool me 15 times, shame on... who?

I didn't grow up here in Sherwood Park but the population has gone from 29k to 73k since 1981. They have built 2 public elementary schools in that time and no more public high schools or junior high schools. 2 elementary schools in 44 years for a population that's doubled is wild.

Pisses me off doubly so since I built a house in a new neighbourhood with zoning for a school...they cancelled the school and just put up 100 more houses

[Fuzz]

Alberta’s health-care wait lists have swelled beyond half a million patients, and the province has stopped counting how many people die while waiting for treatment, creating a lack of disclosure that leaves families and analysts examining the system without answers.

SecondStreet.org, a public policy think tank, obtained data through freedom-of-information requests and provincial postings.

It found at least 3.7 million Canadians on confirmed wait lists this year, though the group estimates the true figure could reach 5.8 million, or about one in eight people countrywide.

In Alberta, the snapshot shows 81,848 waiting for surgery, 174,022 for diagnostics and 256,019 for specialist appointments as of this spring and summer.

The diagnostic backlog alone has grown by nearly 70,000 since 2022, while surgical waits are up by about 6,000.

When asked under freedom-of-information law how many Albertans have died while waiting, Alberta Health responded it "no longer tracks the information."

https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/artic...for-treatment/

In October 2022, Alberta’s Premier Danielle Smith promised to quickly revamp the health-care system, saying at the time: "It’s going to get a little bit bumpy for the next 90 days."

It's been a really long 90 days.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by Doctorfever

There may be some sites that were supposed to be built for the last thirty years but haven’t been built yet, but I don’t know that there is a lot of them. Maybe list 15 or so of them and we can debate why.

Originally Posted by indes

I didn't grow up here in Sherwood Park but the population has gone from 29k to 73k since 1981. They have built 2 public elementary schools in that time and no more public high schools or junior high schools. 2 elementary schools in 44 years for a population that's doubled is wild.

Pisses me off doubly so since I built a house in a new neighbourhood with zoning for a school...they cancelled the school and just put up 100 more houses

That's just it... I wasn't looking to "debate why" with someone that misses the point so badly.

The point is, no government in the last 30+ years has made a meaningful investment to impact class sizes, whether through school construction, teacher hiring, or any combination of both. The naivety (to put it charitably) of some to think that this government - the U-####ing-CP - are going to negotiate in good faith on these points and actually stick to them is mind blowing to me.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/artic...for-treatment/

It's been a really long 90 days.

It is essentially murder through policy. They are actively killing people with their incompetent, underhanded, and destructive approach to our health care system.

It is really dangerous and makes you wonder how many people need to die to finally erode their support and end conservatism in Alberta.

[puffnstuff]

1000 days is the new 90 days

[Harry Lime]

The new deal links the 3000 new teachers to the construction of the bew schools. So there would be exactly zero relief for class sizes for the foreseeable future.

They would have to staff those schools anyway, so it has no place in CBA negotiations.

The government position that they are advertising is a complete smokescreen. How do you negotiate with someone like that?

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

But they’re not all going on strike at the same time.

The ATA has said it will be a full scale walkout on Oct. 6. All teachers will be on strike at the same time.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

The ATA has said it will be a full scale walkout on Oct. 6. All teachers will be on strike at the same time.

It feels like I should be hoarding something for that possibility, I'm just not sure what.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

It feels like I should be hoarding something for that possibility, I'm just not sure what.

Pencils?
Glue Sticks?
Crayons?
Craft paper?

You could start making the teachers some pretty wicked strike signs.