The Toronto Sun is one such paper. Again and again, anti-teacher rhetoric is spewed forth, without so much as a widespread retort from ETFO.
Take for example these quotes in the Editorial Column from the Saturday September 22nd, 2012 edition of the Toronto Sun:
"Despite that, you would think teachers, who work 10 months a year with two weeks off at Christmas and one at March break, and who earn north of $90,000 annually at the top of their experience and salary grids, would realize how good they have it.
Especially compared to the ongoing carnage in the private sector since the 2008 global recession, where most workers consider themselves lucky to have a job."
I wonder what statistical analysis promoted the writer to suggest that there is "ongoing carnage" in the private sector, considering that a Statistics Canada report concluded the following:
"The recent recession was not as bad, employment-wise, in Canada as previous economic downturns have been.
Not only was the total job loss not as large, but the job market also rebounded more quickly, the agency found.
Canadian employment peaked in October 2008. Over the next 12 months, more than 400,000 jobs were lost. But those figures began to rebound quickly from late 2009 onward.
By January, the figure had fully recovered — 27 months after its initial trough."
(http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2011/02/23/recession-jobs-employment.html)
Moreover, Statistics Canada concluded that:
"Canada's economic recession ended in the third quarter of 2009 and was not only shorter and milder than in other G7 countries."
http://ca.reuters.com/article/idCAN1522142520100415
So the carnage doesn't exist. Unless it is needed to convince the public that taking away teachers basic human right to collectively bargain is acceptable.
Up next: who really lost their jobs during the recession?
Up next: who really lost their jobs during the recession?
I agree with your point in general, but you need to sign and then work a creative PR campaign the next 2-3 yrs until the next contract is up, hopefully at that time you can generate some public support. It is not the right time now to start. What would you like your fed to say though? The Toronto sun lied but teachers still earn lots of money and have tons of vacation ( or some how you would like us to believe its not vacation....) I honestly believe what you are doing on this blog is having the opposite effect of whst you are trying to accomplish.
ReplyDeleteThe point of this blog is a "PR campaign." I disagree that we have to launch it in 2-3 years because at the moment, we are fighting not for raises, or workloads, but for all of those who work in Ontario.
ReplyDeleteThis legislation is a violation of human rights and it is being supported because of the lies of the media.
That is the point of this blog.
Not once has anyone asked for a raise. Nor has this blog.
I think teachers should be standing up against agencies who post these blatant lies or stretching the truth about teachers, is it not the reporters duty to tell the truth? Why are we not standing up?
ReplyDeleteI never said anything about raises. If this is a pr campaign for your profession, then what is it that people have a problem with when listening to "teacher speak" I will call it? Listening to how hard you think you have it. At a high level you have talked about how long your workday is, how you think you should get vacation pay because you don't get "vacation" how little prep time you actually get and I guess I could go on but everyone is open to read your blog. Just realize that what I am saying back to you is what the public perceives as complaining. I agree with most of your points actually ( as my wife is a teacher currently, and as I said earlier I taught as well) I am trying to remember some of the other blog posts you had and if you really feel this is harming your rights bring up something with regards to that point..(which I completely agree) Not how many hours " you actually work" or how you should keep your sick days. Again, these are the exact things that hurt "the teacher rep"
ReplyDeleteAgain, this blog is only pointing out facts that the media tends to cover up and/or mislead the public on. Never once did I say that teachers have a long work day. What I did show was that unlike the media perception, teachers at the very least work a regular work day. Also, I never complained about vacation pay, online pointed out that teachers, like the rest of the population, are entitled to it. I never complained about salary, I only pointed out the misleading fact that teachers do not make more with the "Education Premier." They only received a cost of living increase and have the exact same portion of the pie as when Mike Harris was in office.
ReplyDeleteWhat hurts the "teacher rep" is when the public is mislead by lies and/or misleading facts, so that when they voice their opinions, they are considered to be "whining."
Shouldn't a teacher be educating the public as to the truth?
Or should we just let them be incorrect?