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#10PercentLess

Written by David Truss 8 Comments

What does it mean to be ‘Locked Out’ and to be paid 10% less?

“Effective May 26, 2014, and continuing until further notice, your members will be locked out as described in this letter,” Michael Marchbank, public administrator for the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association, said in a letter to teachers’ federation president Jim Iker.

…BCPSEA, the bargaining agent for the province’s 60 school boards, also said it would dock teachers’ pay by 5 per cent as of Monday over the job action, and by 10 per cent in the event of rotating strikes.” Globe & Mail

Let’s think about this for a bit:

If I was a butcher, I could slow down and cut 10% less sirloins… but if I’m a (professional) lawyer, should I put 10% less effort into defending my client?

If I was a baker, I could use 10% less ingredients and produce smaller baked goods… but if I’m a (professional) nurse, should I give my patients 10% less medication?

If I was a candlestick maker, I could reduce the time spent building candlesticks by 10%, or provide only 90% of a full candle… but if I’m a (professional) doctor, should I leave 10% of a surgery undone, or only give 90% of a diagnosis?

Professionals don’t work that way.

Value Quote

I’m trying to do the math, but this is what I see: 90% pay, 100% educator.

“It is unrealistic to expect extraordinary effort and performance without
creating an environment where people feel extraordinarily valued.” Doug Conant

True for students. True for teachers.

With a hat tip to #PencilChat I share with you: #10PercentLess

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What is your #10PercentLess?

*Update: One more, with a great letter to explain just how absurd this 10 percent cut really is! (See the link by Christine Adams, a Grade 7 teacher.)

8 comments on “#10PercentLess”

  1. Hi David

    I really feel for all of you in B.C. I just can’t imagine the outrage and the pain that all of you must be feeling.

    As “we educators” all know, we didn’t go into this field for the money, prestige, or fame. We did it because we want to do some good in this world and doing good is a 24/7 job where we pour 110% of ourselves into.

    That’s where the extra 10% should have gone. It should have gone into a little more acknowledgement and a little more appreciation and a little more support of Educators in public education. We all know that that little investment would have reaped ten-fold more back. It’s in the nature of Educators to give more than they have received.

    Now that they’re stripping away that 10% of your heart, do they know they’ve only compounded their troubles in the future?

    So sorry to be watching all of this. Wish the politicians had learned their math better, when they were in school.

    #youmatter

    ~Vivian

    1. Thanks Vivian,
      This is insightful, “Now that they’re stripping away that 10% of your heart”.
      The 10% cut in no way demonstrates any understanding of the work a teacher does within and beyond the school day.
      ~Dave

      1. I also find this confusing and ironic. By law, workers after a number of straight hours on the job are entitled to a lunch hour and rest breaks. Theoretically, those times should be times of real rest.

        Because the government feels entitled to 10% back from your payroll, this shows they believe you should be working during your lunch hours and recess breaks? That means they were breaking the law because they were expecting you to work without a lunch break and rest breaks.

        Now, they force you to rest when you are supposed to rest but then feel entitled to take money from you when you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing during your rest breaks?

        ??!!

  2. Pingback: OTR Links 05/29/2014 | doug --- off the record

  3. As a volunteer member of our District Critical Incident Response Team I am really not sure what I am expected to do if there is a tragic incident on my lunch break and am called to another school to provide psychological first aid to traumatized staff or students? Do I stand outside the school and wait for the ‘lock out time’ to be over??? To I offer support by yelling through an open window? Do I stand helplessly by with my $30,000 trained therapy dog and just watch individuals in pain until the government says ‘times up you can go in now”?

    1. Terry,
      Having worked with you, I know that this lockout is both disheartening and even insulting. It undermines all that we do, even beyond a tragic incident.
      How many connections, conversations and safe places do educators make with and for students on these ‘off times’? How many teacher lunch breaks are spent with students, helping them and supporting them? None of this is part of the required job, none of this is expected, but it is what teachers do.
      The lockout essentially restricts teachers from doing ‘extra’ work, and then penalizes them for not doing it.
      Absurd… simply absurd!

  4. I am a School Psychologist. How am I supposed to do 10% less work when assessing a student in need? I do not know one School Psychologist who does not do more than the standard teaching/school day. How could we not and remain professionals. If only we could turn the tables on our MLAs who sat less than 40 days last year in the Legislature. Perhaps all of us who pay their high salaries could dock them a reasonable percentage for not working? A thought.

    1. Gavin,
      I would share the same reply with you that I did with Terry above.

      On the notion of MLA’s losing pay for missing days in the Legislature, while I agree that would be something to consider, I don’t see a parallel to the teacher lockout. An MLA could go to the Legislature unprepared to add any value, leave and return the next time having done nothing new to contribute the next time. They can just show up and get paid for attending.

      Almost every profession falls into 2 basic categories:
      1. Work stays at work.
      2. Bring work home and directly benefit from the extra work.

      Teaching does not fit either category.
      Thank you for your comment!
      ~Dave

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