The Prince George District Teachers’ Association (PGDTA) is taking aim at School District 57’s remuneration adjustment.
This is after Tuesday’s Board Meeting where trustees voted in favour of a 28 per cent increase to the upcoming Board’s pay following its election on October 17th.
According to Board Chair Craig Brennan, the pay hike is also in effort to attract more people to run for a trustee position, and to better align its remuneration with other comparable School Districts.
President Katherine Trepanier not only calls the decision disappointing, but added that it goes against one of its own policies.
Policy 1.70, which can be found on the School District’s website, states “Remuneration for trustees will be increased based on the grid lift directed by the British Columbia School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) for exempt staff.”
“They got similar raises last year to what teachers got in our most recent collective agreement, which is 3 per cent raises.” said Trepanier.
“If their policy says that their remuneration will be increased based on that, I don’t understand how it’s possible for them to give themselves like, 10 times that amount.”
Trepanier said the bigger issue for her is the addition of roughly $50,000 coming out of the budget, and while she recognizes it doesn’t sound like much in the big scheme of things, it’s an amount that could have a huge impact.
“If you think of a classroom that has several students in it that require more support, that amount of money could pay for a full-time educational assistant to be in that classroom.”
“That money could pay for counselling services to an Elementary School, it could pay for a half-time learning assistance teacher for an entire school.”
As it stands, Trepanier will be getting a hold of the BC Trustees Association to find out what happens if a policy is violated, as they’re no longer permitted to speak and ask questions at Board Meetings.
She also hopes the public thinks about how the money could be better used.
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