By Paul Horn. The thing is, anyway you slice it, there are a bunch of people who – on a day-to-day basis – have nothing to do with what goes on in the classroom and they are working hard at keeping me and my students from being there.
There can be no doubt that both sides need to be more reasonable and stop their gunboat diplomacy.
BC’s history of polarization hurts us all and it needs to stop. We are one of the most educated and economically strong places in the world, and it should show in our labour relations.
The principles are simple:
– keep children and education in mind at all times when bargaining;
– keep your agreements, especially when the courts tell you to do so, and do not hamstring school districts by agreeing to unfunded provisions;
– bargain in good faith and be prepared to move off of your starting position;
– bargain with the principles of respect, fairness, honesty and reasonableness in mind;
– bargain in the room, not in the media;
– look for mutual wins and gains, and start by understanding and valuing the positions of the other side;
– stop doing anything that isn’t working; doing more of such things is foolish;
– allow bargaining to occur without political control; a firm foundation is needed for the future and we will have to work through things in order to achieve trust; and,
– learn lessons from the past and from elsewhere, and consider a mediator to help in this respect.
Both sides need to remember that they represent us, and so far I am not feeling responsibly represented.