|
|
Allison McCaffrey
|
June 2022 Message
Hello Colleagues We are less than one month away until summer break and you should be incredibly proud of the work you have done this year. Despite being asked to do the unimaginable in year 2 of a pandemic, you have supported your students, your colleagues and yourselves with dedication, kindness, and compassion. You have my utmost respect for your ability to maintain your optimism regardless of what was demanded of you. A special thanks is extended to all our guest teachers who were an integral part of our school and classroom communities this year. The schools wouldn’t have been the same without you! I hope this break allows each of you to put yourself first on your summer “to do” list, and provides opportunities to spend time with those you love. On the bargaining front, this has been a very active month. After three years of bargaining it was necessary to bring in a mediator to bridge the gaps between what we, as teachers, were asking for and what was being offered by TEBA (Teachers’ Employers Bargaining Association). The mediator wrote his contract recommendations, and the full report can be found here: https://bit.ly/3thWdml. Thank you to all teachers who came out over the past three weeks to the Member Information Meeting sessions (MIMs) so you could ask questions of the Central Table Bargaining Committee (CTBC) and more fully understand the process and next steps. We are now at the voting stage. Every teacher under contract (including guest teachers who have been employed at any time in the 60 calendar days prior to June 5th) are welcome to cast their ballot and choose to accept or reject the mediator’s contract recommendations. Voting opened on June 5th at 9:00am and will remain open until 5:00pm on Wednesday, June 8th. Voting is being done via www.teachers.ab.ca and you must have an ATA Provincial account. Information on how to create an account can be found here: https://bit.ly/3thNwYY PLEASE vote and encourage your colleagues to do the same. The decision will impact all teachers and we want to ensure all teachers have their voice heard in the decision. Additional information on how to vote can be found on the poster here: https://bit.ly/3mgUzNJ. The outcome of the contract vote will be shared on June 9th. Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out and I would be happy to support you (403-265-2678). Please see below some of the highlights from the last CSR as well as the ways you can have your voice heard regarding our profession and our Association. ONE PROFESSION UNITED – As mentioned over the past number of months, we must be united to combat the relentless attack by the government on our Association. A brief overview of the concerns regarding Bill 15 can be viewed here. Let’s not let this government change what has worked exceedingly well for close to 100 years. Come serve on an ATA Local 55 Committee Committee nomination forms are now open for all committees for the 2022-2024 term. Come be a part of the Local and join one of the 12 committees that develop programming to support members. Sign up here: www.atalocal55.ca/committees.html Conference and Workshop Funding (PGS) – Please note that there remains significant funding available to attend conferences, workshops and for tuition funding. Please visit www.atalocal55.ca/funding.html for guidelines and applications. Professional Improvement Funding (PIF) – This funding is made possible under a Memorandum of Understanding in our Collective Agreement. It is to fund professional growth opportunities to a maximum of $10,000 per granting period at accredited post-secondary institutions for the benefit of both students and teachers within the District. Applications for the granting period of September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 will be up on the website this week. Please visit www.atalocal55.ca/funding.html for guidelines and applications. If you have any questions, please reach out to Allison McCaffrey or Diane Terry. New Teacher Welcome Packages Are you a new teacher with CSSD hired under contract within the last two years? We want to celebrate you and welcome you into the profession by forwarding you a treat. Please sign up before June 10th so we can include you in this year’s list. https://bit.ly/3LKVEsf Retirement Celebration Are you retiring this year? If so, please register by June 10th, using this link https://bit.ly/39nQ3d0 so that we may celebrate this life event and deliver to you a special celebration package. Long Service Awards These will be arriving in our offices around June 15th. For all who responded to our notifications, we will be contacting you shortly after the receipt date to arrange delivery/pick up. #RedForEdAB Merchandise We continue to sell our merchandise to make wearing #RedForEdAB on Fridays easier. If you would like to purchase, simply go to https://bit.ly/3lqEsxf to place your order. CSR Highlights The highlights document for the May 31, 2022 CSR (Council of School Representatives) meeting can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/3tl45U6 June is Pride month. Happy Pride to all who are celebrating! June is also National Indigenous History Month. If you need resources on these, or any other topics, the ATA Library at teachers.ab.ca > My ATA > ATA Library has a wide range of materials to support your needs. All shipping costs to your home (and return shipping to Barnett House) is free of charge, so this is an excellent resource to access supports for your learning. In closing, know that we, at the Local, appreciate the work you do and the kindness you show every day to your students, your colleagues and yourself. Please remember to vote between now and June 8th on your contract. Regardless of the outcome – whether it is a yes or no - we are all One Professional United…our strength is in our unity. Please feel free to reach out to us if we can support you in any way. Peace and blessings, Allison McCaffrey
President Calgary Catholic Teachers’ ATA Local 55 |
|