TRIBUTES FLOW | Former MLA Len Bawtree remembered for public service [A6]
The Walmar t
ue, Vernon
2200 - 58 th Aven
Superstore
ay, Vernon 5001 Anderson W ww w.sus
P R O mU D L Y sexinsu ran ce.co
Morning gStar Friday, June 13, 2014
S E R V I N G
O U R
N O R T H
O K A N A G A N
w w w. v e r n o n m o r n i n g s t a r. c o m
C O M M U N I T I E S
F O R
O V E R
2 0
Y E A R S
2008 GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE Ext Cab 4X4 Stk# 14-169A1
DIESEL ONLY 86,000 KMS!
$
34,900
BANNISTER
4703 - 27th St. VERNON • 250-545-0606
GM
DL#9133
Full-scale strike could end classes early KATHERINE MORTIMER Morning Star Staff
Teachers are preparing to escalate job action, but there is cautious optimism that can be avoided. A full-scale strike at schools could begin Tuesday after 86 per cent of teachers provincewide voted earlier this week to move beyond rotating pickets. With teachers holding a study session Monday, that means today could possibly be the end of the school year. “My heart sunk when I saw the news that we’re going to full withdrawal of services, but I am more hopeful now,” said Heather Malcolm, Vernon Teachers’ Association president, who would like to see the union and the employer reach a deal over the weekend. “So it may turn out to be a ratification vote and not a strike vote — we are hopeful that this will be resolved and avoid a full walk out.” The Vernon and North Okanagan-Shuswap school districts are preparing for a full strike next week. “If an agreement is not reached, we are requesting parents keep their children home or make alternate arrangements beginning Monday until further notice,” said Joe Rogers, Vernon superintendent, in a letter to parents. The Labour Relations Board
LISA VANDERVELDE/MORNING STAR
Teachers Laurel McEachnie (front left) and Kristen Dion (right) walk the picket line at Alexis Park Elementary School Wednesday with Denise Lauson (back left) and Louise Alexander. has designated provincial exams as essential and these will continue during a strike. Students will not have to cross a picket line to write their exams. “Administrators will cover all of the provincial exams, and Grade 12 teachers are the only ones required to submit marks, so there will be no kindergarten to Grade
11 report cards until the strike is over,” said Rogers. The North Okanagan-Shuswap district has also sent a similar letter home to parents. “This is not the way we had hoped the school year would be ending. We regret the issues this ongoing provincial dispute may be causing your family and it is the
sincere hope of the board of education that this dispute will soon be over,” states the letter. All graduation ceremonies will be going ahead in both districts as planned, with support from school and district management staff. Students in both districts were asked to empty their desks and lockers at the end of classes today.
Education Minister Peter Fassbender says the government’s goal is to have an agreement with teachers by June 30. “The B.C. Teachers’ Federation has said they want to avoid the strike and they are ready to bargain through the weekend. The B.C. Public School Employers’ Association will be there,” he said. “It took support staff unions five days of hard bargaining to get to an agreement. We can achieve the same thing with teachers if the BCTF comes to the table with realistic expectations and a willingness to find solutions.” “Up to now, the BCTF’s total compensation demands have been four times more than other recent settlements. The BCTF has indicated that they will submit a new wage proposal and BCPSEA looks forward to receiving those.” Malcolm wants to see some flexibility on the part of Fassbender. “The government needs to commit resources to improving learning conditions. The employer has made some moves and the BCTF has made some moves and now it’s a chess game and it’s up to the government,” she said. “We want to thank parents for their support and encourage everyone who cares about public education to contact Eric Foster, our MLA, and demand change from this government.”
North Okanagan routes top worst roads list RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
North Okanagan roads are getting a bumpy ride. Of the top 10 spots in the B.C. Automobile Association’s B.C.’s Worst Roads survey, five of them are held by local roads or separate stretches of the same routes. Leading the pack in first was Silver Star Road, from Greenway Road to the resort. “Something needs to be done,” said Brad Baker, Silver Star Mountain Resort operations manager. The primary complaint is potholes and
crumbling pavement. “From Greenway Road to the first switchback, you’d probably be better to have a gravel surface,” said Baker. “It’s not the surface you expect to have a multi-million-dollar resort at the end of.” Coming up second in the survey was Westside Road because of poor surface conditions near Attenborough Road. Westside Road, 17 kilometres north of the Kelowna bridge, was named fourth worst while in ninth, was Westside Road at Chief Saddleman Road. “I admit parts of the road are not good
BUY SELL
VERNON
TOYOTA
and need to be improved but I have been talking to the Ministry of Transportation,” said Jim Edgson, North Westside director. “There is definitely a plan in place and improvements will occur. I will encourage them (ministry) to continue with their plans.” In third place on the BCAA list was Cosens Bay Road, which goes through Coldstream and Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park, which is in the electoral area. The main complaint from survey participants was pedestrian and cycling safety. “That road is not in bad shape,” said
DL# 30382
PH 250-545-0687 • 3401 - 48th Ave Vernon, BC VISIT US 24/7 AT VERNONTOYOTA.COM
Bob Fleming, Cosens Bay director, when he heard the results. Fleming has worked at the Cosens Bay cabin colony recently and has seen road graders. “I’ve been fairly impressed with the condition of the road. It’s narrow but for this time of the year, it’s well maintained,” he said. Rounding out BCAA’s top 10 list was Richmond’s George Massey tunnel (5), Victoria’s Mackenzie Avenue (6), Surrey’s Patullo Bridge (7), Maple Crescent in Maple Ridge (8) and the Island Highway in Malahat (10).
WE ALWAYS HAVE 10 GREAT VEHICLES UNDER $10,000 ON CONTINUES! THE LOT FULLY SERVICED READY TO GO!
TRADE
SEE OUR AD ON PAGE
A-15