The British Columbia Teachers` Federation (BCTF) has reached a new collective agreement with the British Columbia Public School Employers` Association (BCPSEA) for the year 2017. The agreement was reached after months of negotiations and offers a number of benefits to teachers working in the province`s public school system.
One of the key components of the agreement is a salary increase for teachers. Teachers in the province will see a salary increase of 1% retroactive to July 1, 2016, with an additional 0.5% increase on February 1, 2017. This salary increase is in line with the government`s public sector bargaining mandate, which aims to provide moderate and affordable settlements to public sector employees.
The agreement also includes provisions for improved benefits for teachers. These benefits include an increase in funding for professional development opportunities, as well as additional supports for teachers who are dealing with complex or challenging students. The agreement also includes a commitment to exploring ways to reduce workload and improve teacher well-being.
In addition to these benefits, the agreement also includes important provisions related to class sizes and composition. The agreement includes a commitment to work towards creating more classroom resources and supports for students with special needs. It also includes a commitment to explore ways to reduce the number of students in classes and to provide additional supports for teachers who are dealing with large or complex classes.
Overall, the 2017 BCTF collective agreement represents an important step forward for teachers and the public school system in British Columbia. By providing improved salaries and benefits, as well as important supports for teachers and students, the agreement helps to ensure that the province`s public school system can continue to provide high-quality education to students across the province.