The Alberta Teachers’ Association

PEC Points

Highlights of the Provincial Executive Council meeting held Dec. 3–4, 2015, at Barnett House in Edmonton

1. Directed table officers to draft a political response with respect to clause C1 of the legislated framework agreement. The clause requires government to conduct an internal review to determine what Alberta Education-initiated tasks can be eliminated or modified to reduce teacher workload.
2. Directed staff to organize a meeting of local presidents, local Economic Policy Committee chairs or negotiating subcommittee chairs, and economic consultants in early January 2016 for the purpose of consultation with respect to the implications of Bill 8, Public Education Collective Bargaining Act, with estimated costs charged to the Special Emergency Fund.
3. Amended administrative guidelines regarding electronic voting in Council byelections.
4. Approved recommendations concerning balloting and online voting, campaign timing, campaign guidelines, campaign financing and member engagement with respect to Council elections.
5. Discharged the Committee on Election ­Review with thanks.
6. Approved in principle and referred to the Resolutions Committee for processing for the 2016 Annual Representative Assembly (ARA) a resolution urging the Alberta government to ensure that the Association is represented on all government working groups and committees that will have an impact on K–12 education in the province.
7. Approved in principle and referred to the Resolutions Committee for processing for the 2016 ARA a resolution urging the Department of Education to involve the profession in the creation of policies, regulations and standards related to inclusive education that have sufficient specificity to ensure that a baseline of predictable supports and services are readily available to meet the needs of all students.
8. Received the report of a hearing committee, which found a teacher guilty of two charges of unprofessional conduct for failing to follow lawful orders of the board by continuing to lock the classroom door, contrary to the principal’s directive, thereby failing to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession, and for abandoning the class after telling the students that they disgusted the teacher, thereby failing to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession. The hearing committee imposed the penalty of a single letter of reprimand to address both charges.
9. Approved the 2016/17 program area budget recommendations and referred them to Finance Committee for costing.
10. Directed that salary costs in the 2016/17 proposed budget be projected based on a specified increase to salary grids for all three staffing groups.
11. Directed that the grant-in-aid rate for accommodation in the 2016/17 proposed budget be increased.
12. Approved in principle eight ATA centennial projects and activities for inclusion in the 2016/17 proposed budget.
13. Authorized overexpenditures to provide for the implementation of two ATA centennial projects and activities in 2015/16.
14. Amended the terms of reference of the Committee on ATA 100th Anniversary Planning.
15. Authorized an overexpenditure to adjust the political engagement grant in 2015/16.
16. Placed the issue of inquiry-based professional learning in the Issues Bank for preliminary investigation.
17. Approved a frame of reference for Rocky View School Division No. 41 teachers’ Economic Policy Committee.
18. Approved the name of one teacher for addition to the Professional Development Facilitators name bank, which is used as a source of appointments to the Professional Development Facilitators corps as the need arises.
19. Named field members to fill vacancies on the Campus Saint-Jean Area Field Experiences Committee and the Edmonton Area Field Experiences Committee. ❚