Entertaining variety served up at Gamut
EAGLE VALLEY
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NEWS
Eagles ahead of Grizzlies 2-1 in playoff action Page 8
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Vol. 53 No. 9 Sicamous, B.C., • 1.25 (HST included) • www.eaglevalleynews.com
Teachers prepared to walk out over legislated contract George Abbott: Education minister may consider BCTF request for mediation. By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
B.C.’s teachers are ready to escalate job action in response to the provincial government’s intent to legislate an imposed contract. On Tuesday, the B.C. Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) was awaiting a ruling from the B.C. Labour Relations Board on whether it would be allowed to walk off the job for eight days over a two-week period. In the meantime, BCTF is preparing to vote on the strike action. The result should be known Thursday. Teachers in the Okanagan-Shuswap were out on the streets Monday afternoon, protesting Education Minister George Abbott’s decision to proceed with legislation that would bring an end to the yearlong teachers contract negotiations. “He’s showing poor direction – we’re standing up for the bigger picture. This is about the erosion of democracy,” commented Salmon Arm Secondary theatre instructor Cathy Hay. “I’ve been teaching for 27 years and this makes me sick. I just want to teach,” said physical education instructor Tricia Martin. Abbott announced Friday that he would be directing staff to prepare a bill or bills that would bring about a “resolution” to the collective bargaining dispute between the BCTF, the BC Public School Employers’ As-
Job action outreach: Teachers Karen Andreassen, Lynn Ritchie, Donna Rollier and Jaana Mainprize get ready to take to the streets in a show of solidarity Monday afternoon. Photo by James Murray sociation (BCPSEA) and the province. The legislation was also expected to be completed Tuesday. “From my perspective, it is unacceptable that this situation continue,” Abbott said in a press conference. “The parties have been at the table now for one year, there have been 78 face-to-face bargaining sessions and the parties remain as far apart today… as they were one year ago, and I am not prepared to see this go on very much longer.” The BCTF responded with demands for a mediated
settlement, which the BCPSEA has since agreed to. “Our employer, BCPSEA agreed to mediation on Friday, so I’m concerned that the minister is a little bit ahead of himself as far as legislation,” said North Okanagan Teachers’ Association president Lynda Bennett. “We feel it would be respectful if he put legislation on the side so that we could give mediation a try.” Abbott initially dismissed the notion of using a meSee Class size on page 2
Chamber aims to boost civic pride with new large-scale events Events co-ordinator: Proposal would have district cover cost of part-time position. By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
The Sicamous Chamber of Commerce is aiming to be the go-to-group for community event management with the assistance of a district-funded events coordinator. Chamber executive director Corrinne Cross says one of the things that came up repeatedly during the recent municipal
election was a longing in the community for large-scale events like Moose Mouse Days. However, organizing and co-ordinating such events can be a daunting task for individual organizations and/or non-profit groups. “So what we’re thinking is, by bringing all the organizations and non-profits together, we would take some new event initiatives and sort of put them together and co-ordinate those, and market them, and all the organizations involved would participate and reap their percentage of the rewards financially as well,” says Cross. To accommodate this, the chamber has proposed something of a partnership with
This proposal is designed to have many new, successful events in Sicamous and bring visitors into our community… Corrinne Cross Sicamous Chamber of Commerce
the District of Sicamous, in the form of a district-funded position that would be responsible for the maintenance and management of a community events calendar, event logistics, researching new commu-
nity event initiatives and co-ordinating volunteers and volunteer groups. In researching the feasibility of such a position, Cross said in a presentation to the district’s committee of the whole, it was found the district could pay $60,000 or more annually for what the chamber is proposing. The chamber, however, says it can fill this “much needed function” for $20,000, plus 10 per cent of all revenue after costs, to cover administration. “These costs are in line with the need to hire a person to take a portion of the existing work load away from the See Co-ordinator on page 3