Educators in Canada's post-secondary institutions have a lot to respond to these days. Cuts in federal transfers are working their way through the system and most provinces are passing those cuts down to post-secondary institutions and students. We are living with the results. For students, this means a more expensive education and attacks on the quality of education. For educators, it means dealing with administrations who often show more concern for the bottom line than they do for the needs of students and educators.

Facing those challenges means making decisions and British Columbia's College Institute Educators' Association (CIEA) has favoured an activist approach. This means vigorously lobbying both the federal and liberal government on the issues that affect post-secondary education and training. It means a cordial working relationship with other educational organizations with whom we share interests and a philosophical approach. Finally, it means a recognition that we have things in common with other unions and a commitment to work with those unions through the BC Federation of Labour.

CIEA's Relationship With Government

In recent years lobbying government has been a priority for CIEA. In British Columbia, like other provinces, we have seen many changes in the environment for post-secondary education and training and CIEA has had input into those changes. Unlike other provinces, the British Columbia government has shown a willingness not only to consult on these issues, but also to listen. Both Premier Glen Clark and the minister responsible for post-secondary education and training, Paul Ramsey spoke to the delegates at CIEA's annual general meeting at the end of May.

This focus on working with government has had results in the areas of education policy and in relations between educators and their employers. CIEA was successful in lobbying for a Minister's task force on critical issues which will examine the effects of the budget difficulties. The objectives of the task force are to maintain access, provide employment security, and ensure administrative efficiencies. CIEA felt it was entitled to consideration based on its commitment to produce a productivity increase of 2,300 FTE students in 1997/98.

CIEA has also lobbied hard for a proper role for institution-based education. The BC government has announced it will create a new organization to co-ordinate apprenticeship and entry-level trades training in the province. CIEA became involved in this issue when it appeared there was a move to give the Ministry of Labour jurisdiction over entry-level trades training. Post-secondary education representatives had hoped to see a revitalized apprenticeship and entry-level trades training merger within the Ministry of Education, Skills and Training — the Ministry responsible for post-secondary education and training in British Columbia.

Working at the federal level, at the request of CAUT, CIEA has communicated both with the BC government and the federal government advocating that any proposed federal infrastructure program be extended to include library, laboratory research, and other educational facilities and equipment. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister's infrastructure program does not reflect this advice.

The lobby against federal cutbacks to post-secondary education continues

Working with the Coalition for Public Education (whose membership includes the BC Teachers Federation, the Canadian Federation of Students, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, and the Confederation of Faculty Associations of British Columbia), CIEA lobbied against federal funding cuts, producing leaflets and media training to support local lobbying efforts on campuses across the province.

CIEA was also involved in getting the issue of post-secondary education on the agenda at all-candidates meetings in the recent federal election.

Joint Bargaining

CIEA works both to support bargaining for our component members and to ensure a legal environment which supports bargaining. Last year, for the first time, unions representing faculty and staff from all of BC's public sector colleges and institutes sat down together at one table to bargain with college representatives. The result was a provincial agreement dealing with some of the key issues faculty from the different colleges had in common. This agreement dealt with issues such as a common salary scale, job security, and contracting out of work.

In some instances, this process has been frustrated. BC's Open Learning Agency, an institution specializing in distance education, has acted to frustrate the bargaining process with its employees and CIEA is currently filing a number of complaints at the Labour Relations Board against this institution.

CIEA's Allies

CIEA has not been alone in its efforts to support both its membership and public education in British Columbia. It benefits from its links with other major organizations of the professoriate and librarians, such as CAUT. CAUT has provided formidable access to pan-Canadian post-secondary issues. CAUT's briefs, lobbying, policies, and conferences continue to make a contribution to CIEA's objectives. CAUT provides leadership in issues such as academic freedom and governance policies and raises new issues and concerns such as the deficiencies of recent copyright legislation.

Coalitions with other organizations also strengthen CIEA's work — none more so than the alliance with the Canadian Federation of Students (BC) with whom we have a firm relationship developed over time and through action. A recent threat of provincial cuts to adult basic education were withdrawn after a short but spirited campaign by CIEA, the Canadian Federation of Students (BC), and the Committee of Deans of Development Education.

CIEA's opposition to reductions in the number of university transfer courses by Northwest Community College in Terrace was joined by students as well as being supported by many community groups.

CIEA also has an ongoing working alliance with the Confederation of University Faculty Associations of BC through joint lobbying efforts against federal cutbacks.

CIEA's link within the broad labour movement is through its affiliation with the BC Federation of Labour. In every respect this affiliation has been positive. As a member of the BC Federation of Labour and the Coalition for Public Education, CIEA has been part of a team supporting common aims to provide affordable and accessible post-secondary education and training in the province. CIEA has had access to consultative and decision-making processes at the Federation that have permitted a more effective advocacy for CIEA members. In the last year CIEA participated at the Federation's Executive Council, in the Public Sector Executive Committee, in the Special Committee on Apprenticeship and Trades Training, in the work of Federation standing committees, and its annual convention.

While working under the Federation umbrella, CIEA has also cooperated with other unions. The British Columbia Government and Service Employees Union (BCGEU) represents non-CIEA members in a number of colleges and university-colleges. The two unions face many common issues. CIEA and the BCGEU worked together in the development of the provincial agreement. CIEA has also worked with the BCGEU to lobby for a larger role for public education in the various training programs emerging from government programs such as the BC Benefits "Welfare to Work" program and Forest Renewal.

CIEA is proud of the service it provides. It has a high level of competency in bargaining, contract enforcement, advocacy of statutory rights and lobbying. CIEA is supported in its work by being part of a strong alliance of organizations both provincially and nationally who are committed to providing better access and jobs for both educators and students.

The CIEA feature was prepared by the Communications and Research Department of the College Institute Educators’ Association.