The federal government has set up a special department to administer union dues.

http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/lrco-rtor/conditions/ud-cs-faq-eng.asp

This news articles asks why?
http://mediatrackers.org/pennsylvania/2013/09/24/pennsylvania-government-collects-dues-distributes-political-funds-public-unions

In BC the “check-off” is a standard part of collective agreements for government employees

ARTICLE 7 -  CHECK OFF OF UNION DUES

7.01 Deduction of Fees and Dues
The Employer shall deduct fees and dues from the pay of each employee who shall provide, as a condition of employment, a signed written Assignment of Wages to the Union, substantially in the form contained in section 16 of the Labour Relations Code.

7.02 Remittance to Union
The Employer shall remit to the Union, fees and dues deducted, by the fifteenth of the month following the month in which the deductions were made, together with a written statement containing the names of employees from whom deductions were made and
the amount from each. The Union shall notify the Employer in writing of the current fees and dues, and deductions under the provisions of this Article shall only be made upon a receipt and in accord with notification.
.
http://www.lrb.bc.ca/cas/WVH38.pdf

POSTED ON BEHALF OF DOUG

This is normal practice in the private sector as well. It is one of the provisions of a closed shop. Canada settled this with Teachers unions in the mid 1940’s. You can read that history here.

http://thelittleeducationreport.com/

The support for unions in Canada is hardly 70%, more like 95%. We have the interesting test case of the BCTF. Bill Vander Zalm the Social Credit premier of BC never liked what he called “forced union dues” so he made membership in BCTF voluntary again. Within one month 90% has resigned cards and within 3 months 95% had resigned.

This is a negotiated item. Both sides realize that but see it as cheaper to offer. If the school boards do not offer to collect the dues, the teachers will demand far more in negotiations to cover the cost of collecting it leading to more strikes and longer strikes.

In many boards, the board, not the union pays the salary of the leaders of the local union who are off full or part time to run the union. Normal practice been going on for almost 70 years.

The far right that does not believe unions should even be allowed, of course supports this kind of nonsense.

It is all part of working together and keeping peace in the system.

LABOR PEACE Cuts Many Questionable Deals

What has become “normal” is not necessarily what is correct or even acceptable.  A lot of transgressions, compromises, corruptions can occur when bargaining is done behind closed doors.

Right now, my worst fears and suspicions are being played out (in my mind at least) in BC’s current collective bargaining between the government and the BCTF.  Never in the last 45 years have we seen such “quiet”.

They are supposedly bargaining for “stability” (meaning limiting the usual disruptions, uncertainties, standardized test sabotage, turmoil, withholding of report cards to parents, etc., etc.). A 10-year contract is what the government is aiming for.  What are your bets?  What will the parents, students, and taxpayers be losing in the name of any contrived “labor peace” (if it happens)?  The “public interest” has weird definitions!

These employer check-offs of union dues, achieved within the bargaining process, are definitely privileging and advantaging and benefitting the union cause. By which tactics or threats were they “normalized” ?    “Normalization” is an evolved occurrence, but is it coerced or naturally occurring?

Through the collective agreement process, I guess in “local” bargaining, we in BC have a few school districts paying into the salaries of union officials.  Their job is to advance members’ rights, admittedly one-sidedly, but the district is often compromised.  Isn’t this payment into your antagonist’s salary a conflict of interest?

See:  http://www.royalcityrecord.com/photos-videos/school-district-augments-union-president-s-wages-1.719234

However, the employer could charge a fee to recover the costs of the collection of dues. It has not been attempted due to the complex arrangements between unions and the employers. Doug, offers the more simple explanation if the employer is not willing to collect union dues, the union will demand increases in salaries to cover the costs of collecting the union dues.

Below is a series of links covering the complexity.

1. “A union security agreement is a contractual agreement, usually part of a union collective bargaining agreement, in which an employer and a trade or labor union agree on the extent to which the union may compel employees to join the union, and/or whether the employer will collect dues, fees, and assessments on behalf of the union.[1]”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_security_agreement

2. “Unions also negotiate with employers to determine the level of union security (the extent to which workers are required to join or fund the union once it is established). Types of union security arrangements include the closed-shop agreement, in which union membership is a condition of employment in a workplace i.e. you MUST join, and the union-shop
agreement, in which a person does not have to be a union member to be hired but must join the union after becoming employed. A third form is known as the Rand Formula, named after Canadian Supreme Court
justice Ivan Rand, who created it when he arbitrated a strike against the Ford Motor Company in Windsor, Ontario, in 1945. The Rand Formula does not require all workers to join the union, but it requires them to pay
union dues because they receive the benefit of the
union’s collective bargaining. The formula also allows the employer to automatically deduct union dues from workers’ paychecks.”

3. A legal paper from York University to enhanced understanding of the complexity in Canada when it comes to unions. http://www.yorku.ca/julabour/volume1/jl_lynk.pdf

That said, employers still in theory could charge the unions for collecting union dues on their behalf.  Many changes are underfoot across the globe, some friendly and some not so friendly to unions. For example, Doug’s boast of the school employer paying for the salaries of the union leaders might come to an abrupt end. Also, another tradition of unions regarding the making union business public kept private and away from the prying eyes of their union members and the pubic might be ending as well. To end, a Sun article for food to ponder on - “The other day, I found out Newton B. Jones, the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers president, earned $600,000 in salary and perks in 2011. McClatchy Newspapers reports Jones’ salary increased by 67% over the last few years. Several relatives of Jones are on the union payroll and do very well with generous, six-figure salaries.

Funny, my father saw his pension, held and managed by that union, cut by hundreds of dollars per month before he died last December. It’s the economy and things aren’t going, so well he and other pensioners were told.

Seems things are just fine for Jones and his family.”
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/20/long-overdue-look-at-where-union-dues-go

Perhaps it is time for someone to collect the data in the parking lots of the teachers’ union headquarters. How many BMW and Audi automobiles are in the parking lot. How many orders from Star Bucks are streaming into the doors?  Or is it canteen truck pulling up at lunch time for french fries and gravy and hotdogs?  Is it really worth it for the school boards to collect union dues for free, and toss in the salaries of the union brass, just to keep the l teachers’ union happy and contented, and now can afford the Star Bucks coffee and an upgrade in transportation and renovations of the union buildings by the hiring of an exclusive firm to carry out the renovations?   

The New ETFO headquarters - “As he wanders happily through his new digs, Lewis lovingly surveys the material details of ipe wood and Vermont dolomite as well as the large luminous spaces that do double, even triple, duty.

Teachers like to hold meetings, it seems, and the building has no shortage of rooms that can be opened, closed, expanded and contracted depending on the needs of the moment.

Other than a series of exquisite outdoor terraces that provide impressive views of nearby Victorian rooftops, the most spectacular space is the central atrium. Surrounded on all sides by glass, it rises around a magnificent central staircase that serves as stage, gathering place and observation deck as well as a way to get around.”  http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/06/12/ontario_teachers_new_headquarters_an_architectural_lesson_hume.html

The lap of luxury, and yet the union does not see fit to do something about the schools they teach in. Perhaps, they should be charge a fee for the collection of union dues, to remind them that its not all about the teachers and their perks.

I like/love my union.

The union balances the silly from admin and allow me the luxury of advocating for the students in my care without backlash.

Ironically, unions allow teacher leaders to advocate for students and move the needle forward.  Unions are a tool for progressive change.

If you are interested in education reform - you are a friend of unions.  If you are interested in sticking it to the teachers - those dead beats- then unions are an enemy.

My union allows me to be the teacher that I am - it is important - and I love it.

I also hate it for many reasons - politics and the real world is complicated….... but bottom line—in my world—and the world of the children I teach is better because I have the protection of the union.

hugs to my union - Mirka

Well Mirka - how does the math and science curriculum reform go in the union circle?

How does it go trying trying to get the union hacks to stand up for curriculum change where 2 + 4 always equals 6, and never 5 or 7.

How does it go, if perchance you became a whistle blower? I hear tell, and plenty of evidence at the OCT, the whistle blowers are treated harshly by the union hacks.

The silence is deafening at union headquarters.
Twas the night between vexing hours
Not a union hack was stirring, not even the secretaries
In hopes that the trustees would signed off

A trade was in the works, that surely be sweet
For all teachers to keep them snugged in cash
And the trustees poor as church mice
In exchange to keep silent about curriculum and education services.

Twas the night between vexing hours
The twilight where trustees and union hacks think they are safe
With visions of money, power and authority dancing
Until they heard the dreadful clatter upon their roof

The dreadful clatter of parents with pitchforks
And the public demanding change and accountability
The union hacks forever trapped between vexing hours
Their plans forever foiled by the noisy mob

Twas the eve between vexing hours
And the crowd that made such a clatter
Was claiming the union hacks were never friends
To the students they claimed had their best interests.

The silence is deafening. Not a peep from the union crowd when it comes to 50 % or so Ontario adults and across Canada with low literacy levels. Even higher percentage of adults with 50 + low numeracy levels. Not a peep from the unions for the LD and Autism students for the vast majority being at the bottom of the achievement charts. Not a peep from the union crowd, when classrooms are filled with students working at lower grade levels and far fewer students working at grade level and above. Not a peep from the union crowd when art, music and other courses are slashed to pay the teachers salaries. Not a peep from the union crowd when parents set out their concerns. The silence is deafening, but as parents we sure hear the union hacks’ excuses.

Over at WISE - a parent outlining one of the crazy math problems. We be sure to here the excuses from the union hacks, but as parents we will never hear why the union hacks have kept silent as the math and science curriculum was torn asunder. The silence is deafening.

You know there is something to be said about the legal aspects. I suspect, in the next 20 years the unions will be paying the lawyers hefty fees in the courts, fight the foes at the intersection of where individual rights messes up the plans on both sides. And then there is the public and the students…....the vexing twilight hours should be very interesting in the legal arena.

Nancy,

Your view of unions and their role in curriculum reform is not something that I have ever witnessed - over 25 years in the game.

Unions protect teachers.  Teachers then can advocate for students and curriculum.  IF good teachers are promoted then the administration made up of those good teachers does the same.

I agree with you on the ‘hacks’ term.  The clown car is full.  The union is not in the clown car- the union has a simple/complicated role - advocate for teachers.  And given that I have been reading and contributing to groups such as this one for years—teachers need an advocate.

Your role - as stated in this group’s information is to improve education.  FIRST step is to understand who the players are and WHAT they are responsible for.

I improve education daily - as my bursting at capacity classes indicate (children vote with their feet).  I move the needle on many issues, as do many of my colleagues.  We are professionals, educators, and we could not do many of the things we do - without our union.

still love my union.

Dr. Jim Murray - the supervisor - assigned to one of the boards that refused to balance budget in the Harris years (smart and pragmatic man) often spoke about education as a three legged stool.  You need *all* legs to keep balance and for the stool to be a stool .

Dr. Murray also wrote several excellent books on education/advocating.  They are not on the web.  But would be a solid investment for any one interested in reform/advocacy.

still LOVE my union- Mirka

POBOD

The unions have very little to do with curriculum or pedagogy. It is largely a management function.

“Your role - as stated in this group’s information is to improve education.  FIRST step is to understand who the players are and WHAT they are responsible for.”

Its rather odd, when we do, it is dismissed by the education BLOB as not being factual. Especially the facts on the outcomes and actions that do not meshed with the stated roles, responsibilities and duties of the person. How many educators have said to parents, there is nothing I can do for your child. You must follow the protocols and appeal processes. It is now out of my hands and I cannot do what I like, because my job is at risk if I help your child. In other words, its not my job, it someone’s job other than me.

The individual teachers like yourself are working in their individual silos, doing what appears to work while the BLOB works behind to continued and promote the processes and practices that ends up causing harm to the students and more work for the classroom teachers. No matter what, if there was 10 teachers dancing on a pin of a head, the child at the end of the day will not learned to decode words, without first learning the phonemic sounds. When the BLOB seeks out to put locks on the access doors to education services of the 3 Rs, then proceeds not to provide the resources and training for the classroom teachers and then asked the classroom teachers to become the researchers to search out learning strategies under the guidance of the so-called board consultants and others who claim to be experts. One rolls their eyes on their expert solutions when it comes to LD students. My 18 year old, would have a lot to say about the board consultants and their experimentation on the LD students.

As for Dr. Murray, would that be this Dr. Murray - http://www.smartleaders.ca/meet-dr-jim/
Otherwise, hardly a trace of him on the web, but that doesn’t mean he is not present, because I may have to employed a deep search. Another one that climbs the ladder acting as consultants in the 21st century, and no doubt think that parents should become compliant and accept the expertise of educations, even when it is obvious to everyone except the education establishment, it is not in the best interests of the students.

As for unions having little to do with curriculum or pedagogy is a myth that is seen as the truth. The union brass ensures at every level of curriculum and pedagogy, the presence of the union and their best interests are represented. Its why Jump Math and other reading programs that do not represent whole language and have drills, rote practice and other practices that are not constructivism in nature are never approved. The unions have gone after teacher members for straying away from the discovery learning, constructivism and dare to give out zeroes to their students. No wonder the teachers who are stuck in a hard place and a rock, do not mind when parents teach their children the banned practices or send their children to the tutors. It becomes an easy out for the classroom teachers to point the finger of blame to parents, rather than to give voice to the negative outcomes of bad curriculum and pedagogy.

The BLOB stakeholders protect each other when the external forces threatens their little kingdom. And yes, that includes continuing the practice of having the school boards to take care of union dues at no cost to the unions. The unions need all the money, to fight the foes who want changes to the curriculum, education theories and other practices so all children can achieved.  Can’t have that, what would the union do if there was no long line-up of young adults needing upgrades and relearning the ABCs of the 3 Rs??  Yikes, can’t have that, and the cycle repeats itself to protect the union and the whole of the education establishment, to serve the best interests of those who worked in the public education establishment and students best interests are sidelined for good.

pobod

Nancy you are 100% dead wrong in the role of the union regarding curriculum and pedagogy. They make “suggestions” at most to the ministry. The pedagogy is mainly a teacher training issue and the curriculum is a ministry issue. The union does not “go after anybody” regarding these issues.

“They make suggestions”??  Please Doug, let us not continued on the myth cycle. Did some exploring on the ETFO site today. Here is one that should produced a chuckle or two at the expense of the teachers federations who claimed on one hand they are professionals, and the other hand, the OTF has concluded that, “professional designation is not in the best interests of teachers.”
http://www.etfo.ca/Publications/OTFPublications/Documents/Communiqué - September 2, 2009 - English.pdf

On that note - the teachers’ unions are involved in every aspect of curriculum, education practices and policies across the span of the education system. There is a heavy emphasis on curriculum that ties in with the current pedagogy and education theories such as having no zeroes to no standard testing to project based learning in math.  Below is an example of a joint paper by the ETFO and OISE and of course the usual caution, that the EFTO and OISE may not have the same opinions as the paper. Its an inside look, and probably the reason why math achievement is declining, but it like the other papers and evidence on the EFTO, the teacher members belong to the union, union headquarters is being used as a filter and clearing house, long before to change curriculum in keeping with the union members, their beliefs and training. http://www.etfo.ca/Resources/ForTeachers/Documents/Research for Teachers - Number 15 - Teaching Elementary Mathematics.pdf

Of course, all curriculum development - the vast majority of textbooks - the editors, authors, etc. are a) have education degrees, b) a steady supply of classroom teachers editing the textbook curriculum c) curriculum approval must go through union headquarters.  Jump Math will never be approve, because it does not meet the framework of the current pedagogy theories that all education stakeholders share including the teacher unions.

From what I could conclude, reading the different material on ETFO, is that what is more important to the education stakeholders is to make students more engaged in school. There is absolutely no concern about the number of students who are not at grade level. If anyone reads anything with special education in the title, it is all about dumbing it down in the inclusive classroom. More important for SE students to collaborative than it is for students to achieve.

Teachers want all the breaks, all the freebees such as having their employer collection union fees, in concert having a measurable amount of power, authority and influence over all things in curriculum and school practices in the absence of not being held to account at a professional level.