Economic Policy Committee Report
By Jenny Regal, Chair
The Economic Policy Committee is sponsoring a pre-retirement seminar on 2005 May 9. Seminar arrangements have been modified to accommodate 700 registrants rather than the initially estimated 200. The food and beverage requests of the Glenmore Inn have been reduced; orange and apple juice, coffee, tea and water will still be available. The original estimate for this event, $2500, will be over expended because of the unforeseeable popularity of this seminar. Another session with Mr Selles has been tentatively booked for mid September. The number of registrations that will be accepted will be determined in consultation with the presenter and will not be adjusted.
The EPC has requested information on HSA usage to date this year. A status report will be shared with Executive and CSR when it is available.
Your EPC, with the Executive's input, is constantly monitoring teacher welfare issues within the Local. The EPC Chair has drafted a letter to Cliff Hosfield regarding issues surrounding payment of the Staff Development Fund to the Local going into the future. Another letter to Cliff Hosfield has been drafted outlining our concerns and need to discuss three issues: monetary and contractual implications for Chinook Learning Services teachers with the move to have 4:30-6:30 classes available for high school students; the practice of advertising administration positions outside of the system before properly exhausting all possibilities within the CBE; and more thoroughly addressing the recommendations of the Principals' Allowance Review Committee report.
Provincial pension consultants and political action field coordinates met in Edmonton on 2005 April 29 to discuss the unfunded liability of the Teacher's Pension Plan. Information was shared between the groups, preliminary work prepared by a provincial ad hoc committee was perused and possible actions that could move us towards resolution of this issue were discussed. The aforementioned ad hoc committee will continue to work on this matter, with the aim to provide a means for ARA delegates and all ATA members to take some action.
