Bill 18 - Introduction
On November 3, 2011, the BC government introduced Bill 18 - The Advanced Education Statutes Amendment Act. Among other things, the bill explicitly strips the right of workers at a post-secondary insitution who are officers of thier union to sit on the institution's Board of Governors. This amendment affects both support staff and teachers.
Take Action Against Bill 18
The Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC (FPSE) have set up an action page for student, teachers, and staff who oppose Bill 18:
Open Letter to Minister Yamamoto
November 16, 2011
Honourable Naomi Yamamoto
Minister of Advanced Education
PO Box 9080 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9E2
Minister Yamamoto,
On behalf of the 150,000 members of the Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia I am writing to protest the recently tabled Bill 18, the Advanced Education Statutes Amendment Act.
Under the tabled legislation, faculty representatives would be barred from standing for elected faculty positions on the Board of Governors of BC’s post-secondary institutions if they are also officers of their union. This legislation equates union representatives with opponents of the responsible governance of post-secondary education; in fact, BC’s faculty unions have always fought to improve post-secondary education. Democratic principles at our public institutions will be undermined by removing and barring elected worker representatives. Every worker in Canada is guaranteed freedom of association, this right extends to recognition of the association and it’s leadership as the rightful representatives.
British Columbia should strengthen the role of workers in the democratic structures of public institutions, and increase both worker and student representation on post-secondary institutions’ Board of Governors. I urge you to withdraw provisions 18, 19(11), 20(59), 34(7), 49(22), 50(23.1), and 54 in Bill 18 that limit students' and workers’ democratic rights.
Sincerely,
Zachary Crispin
Chairperson
cc.
Cindy Oliver, President, FPSE-BC
David Mirhady, President, CUFA-BC
Barry O'Neil, President, CUPE-BC
Darryl Walker, President, BCGEU
Jim Sinclair, President, BCFL
Ken Georgetti, President, CLC
