Burnaby teachers won’t be disciplined by their union if they decide to coach, conduct or otherwise volunteer while they are locked out, but local union president James Sanyshyn said there’s no guarantee they will be covered by insurance.
Burnaby school board vice-chair Ron Burton told the NOW Tuesday teachers volunteering while they are locked out are covered by WorkSafe BC in case of injury.
The same message came from Education Minister Peter Fassbender Monday, when he said suggestions that WorkSafe BC would not cover school-sponsored voluntary or extracurricular activities were "absolutely not true."
Sanyshyn, however, called those statements “completely bogus.”
He said the government has no sway over WorkSafe BC and that it is up to individual caseworkers to examine claims on a case-by-case basis.
Sanyshyn said claims that teachers are guaranteed coverage under their employer’s insurance are equally unfounded because of a provision that voids their eligibility if they are engaged in an illegal activity.
If a teacher was injured, he said, it would be up to the insurance company, not the government, to decide whether or not volunteering during a lockout constituted an illegal activity.
“I can’t recommend to my members that they take part in extra-curricular or voluntary activities during lockout periods,” Sanyshyn said. “If I give them advice, and they get injured and they’re not covered, then I’m not doing my job under the labour code.”
That being said, the union will not discipline teachers who volunteer, because the lockout was the employer’s decision, not the union’s, Sanyshyn said.
“I’m not recommending that they take part in anything outside of the lockout hours,” he said, “but I don’t have the opportunity to say, ‘Hey, this was a collective decision of the union; therefore, I’m going after you.’ It’s not the decision of the union.”
A letter from the Sooke Teachers’ Association to its members Sunday, however, painted a different picture.
That letter – penned by local president Ian Johnson and obtained by government – said the BCTF executive committee had come up with a position Saturday regarding extra-curricular activities during the lockout:
“As a directive, until the employer’s lockout is lifted, teachers will not participate in any extra-curricular or other voluntary activities during the lockout hours,” stated the letter.
The letter outlined how the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association was deducting 10 per cent of teachers’ wages for stage 1 of their job action and for this week’s rotating strikes.
“That’s a 10 % pay cut and under those conditions why would you volunteer your time anyway,” stated the letter.
Rotating strikes hit Burnaby public schools Thursday.
Besides picket lines at schools, there will also be a rally in front of Burnaby North Liberal MLA Richard T. Lee’s constituency office at 1833 Willingdon Ave. from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Speakers will include Sanyshyn, BC Federation of Labour secretary-treasurer Irene Lanzinger, classroom teachers and local CUPE 379 President Paul Simpson.
