QPAT and FSE Launch “I teach, I prepare the Future”

 FSE, Media, QPAT, Teacher Recognition  No Responses »
May 052012
 

La Fédération des syndicats de l’enseignement (FSE-CSQ) and its affiliated unions, in collaboration with the Quebec Provincial Association of teachers (QPAT-APEQ), recently launched a campaign to enhance the value of the teaching profession I teach, I prepare the future. This campaign aims to highlight the passion, the competence and the dedication that teachers demonstrate on a daily basis. Visit their website here and if you know a celebrity who would like to add their voice to the campaign, please send me an email.

 

QPAT Executive Election Results

 Elections  No Responses »
May 052012
 

On Thursday, May 3 at the QPAT Provincial Council (a.k.a. AGM), the Nominations Committee declared the following elected or acclaimed to the QPAT Executive Committee for 2012-2014:

Richard Godfinch, President
Steven LeSueur, Chairperson
Richard Greschner, Treasurer
David Walker, Secretary
John Donnelly, Member-at-Large
Ruth Rosenfield, Member-at-Large
Ray Venables, Member-at-Large

I would like to thank all of those who supported me during this election. As I said in my election statement, I will do my best to help support our President and to work closely with the executive to ensure that QPAT represents the province’s anglophone teachers and the teaching profession.

Have a good union day!

ESTA Election Results

 Elections  No Responses »
Apr 292012
 

Congratulations to the following members who were all acclaimed to their positions on the ESTA Executive:

Nelson Roussy, 1st Vice-President
Jean-François Arbour, 2nd Vice-President
2nd Member-at-Large, Gillian O’Rourke-Garrett
3rd Member-at-Large, Erin Ross

The positions listed above are all two-year terms. Thank you to all our returning officers and to Gillian, our newest member, for your interest and involvement in our local union.

AGM 2012

 AGM  2 Responses »
Apr 182012
 

Once again this year, the ESTA Annual General Meeting will be held in three parts due to the large territory we must cover. Teachers who attend the meeting will be reimbursed $35 each to help pay for travel and, for those who choose to attend, the meal afterwards.

Traditionally, the ESTA AGM is more than a report on the union’s activities of the year; it is also an opportunity to gather socially and in solidarity. This year is especially exciting since there are a large number of retiring teachers; please join me as we celebrate their careers in education. School board representatives will also be in attendance to celebrate the many years that our retiring teachers have spent in the service of our school board and its students. I look forward to seeing many of you at our AGM and banquet.

NOTE: Please confirm your attendance and your meal choice with your school/centre’s union delegate. A sign-up sheet will be circulating in each school/centre. You may bring a guest to the supper but please confirm their attendance in order to help the restaurant plan for our event.

Part 1 of 3
Where: Grande-Entrée, Magdalen Islands – NEW LOCATION
Date: May 11, 2012
Time: 1:30 p.m – 5ish p.m. (meeting); around 6 p.m. (drinks and meal)
Organizer: Tammy Anne Clarke

Part 2 of 3
Where:  Sept-Iles, North Shore (Meeting will be held at QEHS; Supper at
Date: May 25, 2012
Time: Tentatively 2:30 p.m. – 6ish p.m. (meeting); around 6:30 p.m. (meal at Pub St. Marc)
Organizer: Rosemary Feger

Part 3 of 3
Where: La Bonaventure sur mer, Percé – NEW LOCATION
Date: June 1, 2012
Time: 2 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (meeting); 6:30 p.m. (meal)
Organizer: Ray Venables
NOTE: Please contact the hotel directly at (418) 566-4344 for overnight reservations. Mention that you are with ESTA for the special discounted rate.

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ESTA Executive Elections

 Elections  No Responses »
Apr 142012
 

The ESTA Nominations Committee (Ray Venables and Adele Flowers) is hereby giving notice of an election for the following ESTA Executive position.

Nominations are invited for the following positions on the ESTA Executive.

  • 1st Vice President
  • 2nd Vice President
  • 2nd Member-at-Large
  • 3rd Member-at-Large

These positions will expire on June 30, 2014.

To learn more about the responsibilities for these positions, please refer to the ESTA Consititution.

TIMELINE (adopted by ESTA Board of Directors on April 4, 2012):

April 5, 2012              Notice of Election
April 20, 2012            Close of Nominations (nomination forms must be received at the ESTA office by 3:00 pm of this date)
April 27, 2012            Election Statement (only necessary if the position is contested; limited to one page – must be received by 3:00 pm of this date)
May 4, 2012               Election Day (if necessary)

Nomination forms should be scanned and e-mailed or faxed to the ESTA office.

April 11, 2012: Day of Pink

 Bullying, Homophobia  No Responses »
Apr 012012
 

DayofPink is the International Day against Bullying, Discrimination, Homophobia and Transphobia in schools and communities. All educators are invited to celebrate diversity by wearing a pink shirt and by organizing activities in their schools on April 11, 2012. Go to DayofPink.org to register for your chance to win. Go to JersVision.org for ideas on how to celebrate diversity all year long. (Thank you to Julie Montpetit of QPAT-APEQ for sharing this information.)

Bahrain: Free jailed trade union leader Mahdi ‘Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb

 International News  No Responses »
Feb 252012
 

In the light of recent developments, Education International (EI) has decided to issue a new appeal calling on its member organizations to urge the Bahraini authorities to immediately release on bail Mahdi ‘Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb, President of the Bahraini Teachers Association (BTA), whose health condition is deteriorating.
In partnership with LabourStart, EI launched a new online campaign that has already generated over 7000 messages since 26 January. We call on you to take action now on the LabouStart website and to give visibility to the campaign by recommending it on your website and your Facebook account:
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=1247&src=ei

New Local Agreeement

 Local Negotiations  1 Response »
Jan 062012
 

On December 9, 2011 ESTA and the ESSB signed the 2010-2015 Local Agreement. I would like to express my thanks to ESTA’s negotiating team (Nelson Roussy, Gordon Dell and myself) for its energy, time and interest. I’d also like to thank ESSB’s negotiating team (Howard Miller and Suzanne Ward) for its careful consideration of our demands and the professionalism that was conducted during our discussions.

There are a number of minor but important changes in our new local agreement and I encourage teachers to read it over. Through this website and future Lighthouse newsletters and Board of Directors meetings, I will do my best to highlight the changes to our new local agreement. Have a good union day!

-Ray Venables

MTA-ATA Reps Weekend

 Events  No Responses »
Nov 072011
 

This year, I had the pleasure of attending the annual Montreal Teachers’ Association/Appalachian Teachers’ Association reps weekend at the Manoir des Sables, Mt. Orford. On November 4, 5, and 6 the MTA and ATA reps, QPAT staff and a number of other local union presidents came together to discuss various topics of interest and to participate in a number of workshops.

Due to budget and time constraints, each year I have had to decline MTA’s invitation. I was, therefore, happy to meet with our big brother/sister union and to compare notes.

The MTA model is one that I think works. It is an excellent opportunity to communicate, cooperate and consult with colleagues. I extend my thanks to the MTA for their invitation and hospitality. I would also like to thank the ESTA executive for allowing me to participate in this activity.

2011-2012 PIC Policy Kit Available

 Parity Committees, PIC, Professional Developmet  No Responses »
Oct 302011
 

The PIC committee met for the first time this school year last Thursday. At this meeting the following items were dealt with:

  1. The 2011-2012 PIC Policy Kit is available; the good news is that PIC funds are healthy and teachers will receive the same amounts as last year for their professional development. Teachers are reminded to send their authorization to travel as soon as possible (especially if they intend to attend the annual QPAT convention in November). Please don’t forget to indicate from which plan you wish to benefit (i.e. A, B or C). For those who will attend the QPAT convention, you will need to submit your name tag as proof of attendance.
  2. One important change to this year’s PIC Policy Kit is the condition that PIC monies cannot be combined with any other type of funding (e.g. NANS, PDIG, etc).
  3. If a teacher intends to take credit courses, remember that this request must be made in advance (see annex III of the current kit).
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