Legislature update
UFL and education funding raised by MLAs
Shelley Svidal
The Alberta legislature reconvened April 30 following a constituency week. Here are some of the education issues raised in question period April 30–May 17.
Teachers’ Unfunded Pension Liability
May 16—Citing the unanimous passage of Motion 503, which urges the government to immediately initiate negotiations on options for a reasonable, long-term solution to teachers’ unfunded pension liability, Rick Miller (LIB—Edmonton-Rutherford) asked Premier Ed Stelmach whether it is government policy to ignore the wishes of the legislative assembly by refusing to take action on the motion. Minister of Education Ron Liepert replied that he would announce next steps within the next couple of days and would make the same announcement in his address to the Alberta Teachers’ Association’s Annual Representative Assembly May 19. Miller asked Stelmach how teachers and taxpayers could have confidence in the task force proposed to address the unfunded liability. Liepert replied that he is committed to a long-term resolution to the unfunded liability and that, while the resolution would not be quick, it would be fair, well thought out and in the best interests of teachers and taxpayers. Miller asked President of the Treasury Board Lloyd Snelgrove to admit that it would be fiscally responsible for the government to pay off the unfunded liability now, saving taxpayers money tens of billions of dollars in future payments. Snelgrove replied that Stelmach had committed to address the unfunded liability during his leadership campaign and that Liepert was "on track to have a responsible discussion about it. If the hon. member opposite thinks it’s responsible for us to just cut a cheque for $6 billion or $7 billion . . . instead of taking some time, getting it right, getting in place a long-term, stable funding relationship with the teachers’ union, that we support, then he’s simply off base with financial reality."
Teachers’ Salary Negotiations
May 16—Contrasting last year’s 5.5 per cent inflation rate and 4.3 per cent increase in private-sector earnings with the 3 per cent increase in operational funding for school boards in the government’s 2007/08 budget, Jack Flaherty (LIB—St. Albert) asked Minister of Education Ron Liepert whether he feels teachers deserve salary increases that match those in the private sector and keep pace with the cost of living. Liepert replied that the government had allocated $5.6 billion to education in 2007/08, 95 per cent of which would flow to boards. He added that, when that 5.2 per cent increase is coupled with boards’ $220 million accumulated surplus, "there is plenty of room to negotiate reasonable contracts." Noting that, in April, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Ray Danyluk had informed municipalities the government would increase its take of the property tax by 5.5 per cent, Flaherty asked Liepert why the government only sometimes takes inflation into account. Liepert reiterated that, with a 5.2 per cent increase and a $220 million accumulated surplus, boards have plenty of room to negotiate reasonable contracts. Flaherty asked Liepert whether he expects boards like Battle River Regional Division No. 31, which had an $8.5 million accumulated operating surplus last year, to use that surplus to fund teachers’ salary increases. Liepert replied that it is up to boards to negotiate with local teachers. He noted that, over the last two months, teachers in several school jurisdictions had settled for roughly 3 per cent.
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