Opening Statement



Thursday 14 November 2013

A Latest Edition Blog Update!


Howdy folks!

An update is in order. My current Teacher Free Speech ETFO + OECTA blogs need to be pre-empted. I am reposting my Cracked: Rob Ford coverage to the top of the blog page. This is due to the immediacy of and great amount of local + international interest + attention in the story. Interested readers should note my Cracked coverage goes back over a year:

Part 1 @ Here!
Part 2 @ There!
Part 3 @ Then!

Note: There are probably more -this is one long story! If you find any others kindly let me know in the Comments below or by my gmail addess at the top right of the screen.

However, please note:

ETFO Overview of Bill 122 the Collective Bargaining Act 2013 Bill: The overview is posted and you can read or comment in the open forum @ ETFO!

Ask Angelo: Angelo + the Law Man continue the ongoing blog Q+A discussion + debate over the legal case of OECTA PE's legal liability in the dismissal of prominent anti-MOU' er local President Richard Brock. Read + join in @ OECTA

Please note that my Teacher + Union Acronym Dictionary is @ Your Convenience Here!

Other:

I am still posting the teacher travel blogs from my recent trip -the Santiago de Cuba Diaries. Besides the Cuban Schools Project computer program report, there's the traditional music, dance + Afro-Cuban religious rites which you might find interesting + different. The Diaries are all being pre dated to last week + posted in chronological order from November 4-11. Here's the most recent @ Santiago de Cuba Diary: Afro-cuban Santeria

Still, no ongoing Teacher November News + Views Link Digest post but I am saving up material. There is just no time right now, with everything else happening.

Upcoming:

I plan on visiting Toronto City Hall tomorrow for when council introduce some motions to limit the mayors powers since he still refuses to resign. Dunno how close I can get, or if I can post my on the spot coverage right away. However you can follow my live updates via my Twitter hashtag account.

Subscribe #davidchiarelli @ Twitter Updates!

Remember: Guest blogs of interest to my teacher readers can be submitted for publication here. Details @ Guest blogs welcome!

Cheers/
Solidarity!

David C

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I read on her somewhere, someone saying the Halton Local OECTA had some probnlems. Cannot locate the info now. Something about financial dealings in the local????? And there was a line about R. Brock getting a raise and $175,000 per year at the same time all OECTA members get a reduction!

That information should be up here for people to discuss! What is the Halton local hiding and are you helping them hide it David??

Sincerely,

Candy O

Kulture Kult Ink said...

Hello Candy O!

These allegations have been discussed here in general. However they are unsubstantiated, there is no proof to support them, and the writer will need to resubmit them with a confirmed name attached so that those who are being accused are not shadowboxing with them. There isn't a significant weight of evidence of proof to proceed, one of those calls I need to make.

Anonymous said...

The Halton unit does indeed have some problems. Richard Brock has run that unit as if it were his own kingdom. He does not serve the executive. The executive serves him. He has gathered around him a group who can't or won't question him. Those who attempt to, both presently and in the past are isolated and harassed. Consequently, in Halton there is a lack of healthy discussion on any issue. Richard's will is law. How many units consistently acclaim the President and the Executive?

This control, lack of discussion and isolation of potential leaders has created a palpable apathy within the Halton unit. Halton members have not flocked to sign the change.org petition. This petition has been signed by less than 500 people, many of whom are from outside the unit. In my opinion this is indicative of a lack of support.

One could make the argument that much of the membership are not aware of the issues. I believe this to be true. However, the unit President many have characterized as a gun slinging, straight shooting hero is not the reality.

Kulture Kult Ink said...

Will print this and seek verification, but exec I have talked to would strongly disagree. I understand there has been some internal dissent over the years but would expect so in any healthy unit. For the most part members dont sign petitions, especially now with all the bullying going on. They would be afraid to give their names. 500 signatures or so is good for any Private Oecta petition, so I M not sure that criticism holds up either. Be that as it may I do respect all points of view here and of couse will post with all due respect. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Here is some verification. Through the reps every Halton member was asked to sign the petition.

As was stated above, the executive for the most part are hand picked by Richard and acclaimed due to lack of interest/involvement of the membership. There are of course a few who manage to be involved (now and in the past) AND don't carry the Richard Brock party line. Speak to them, if you can find them (if they aren't too frightened to speak candidly), rather than those who don't seem to be able to formulate questions.

Thank you for posting and respecting this point of view. Our divergence is only about the issue of Brock's leadership. I am in complete solidarity with you concerning the MOU. It was a betrayal, betraying OECTA members and it broke solidarity with the other affiliates. It is an agreement based on contract stripping and concession bargaining. Also, I was appalled with this agreement being imposed without member ratification. Brock's discipline is harsh and the process needs to be questioned. This will be done at AGM 2014. I would support any member who has been treated unfairly. Although I do have a problem with filing a complaint in support of management against other OECTA units. I remain unconvinced that this was the correct strategy. This is an issue that needs to be discussed. In fact, this is the point. In Halton, the executive would not have this discussion. The questions that need to be asked in order to have the discussion required to ensure understanding and an INFORMED decision on the part of the executive DO NOT HAPPEN. It does not happen because the executive serves Richard Brock.

As the PE has gone rogue and seeks to control provincially so too has Richard Brock at the local level.

Kulture Kult Ink said...

Hmmmm. Well, I'm pretty sure that Richard wasn't used to set an example for local rogue presidents + do your unit any favours, if as you say this is the status quo at your unit. I don't know much about the internal affairs of Halton Elementary, will look into it more, but would be willing to bet that what you describe is not uncommon in many OECTA units and indeed up at the provincial office.

Perhaps that's how we ended up where we are with the MOU and whatever else comes along next in the upcoming contract talks: maybe the wholesale sell off of OECTA support + supposed cunning to the OLP for personal gain, or that of some interests, units and elite at least?

Member apathy and disconnect runs throughout the organization. Elites form within and have a pretty easy go of it creating little dynasty's all over the place, each a legend in their own mind. facing little or no opposition.

Assuming your case, then I would argue that Richard just provided the OECTA powers that be with a good target to make their point that opposition is futile, since in their mind few would want to come to his rescue. An example would've been set and a clear message sent out to any further opposition to piss off. We know Richard is irascible and a shit disturber, which most in OECTA doesn't like, whether they have done anything wrong or not. The gamble was that there would be sufficient opposition to him for enough people to turn a blind eye to everything else his dismissal in fact signaled?

When Richard wanted to sit in at the OLRB table during the other units case there was also another more important issue, in my mind, then his presence there. Indeed he quickly retracted his request, with minimal if any damage to their case, so I doubt this was the real issue that warranted such extreme disciplinary action.

More ...

Kulture Kult Ink said...

OECTA members had been told that the MOU was NOT going to be attached to our contracts, at my unit as well. A lot of members ended up signing off on them just as the MOE wanted, and by their Dec 31 deadline at that. It was GOOD Richard was looking into the issue when few could get a straight answer about the attachment of the MOU, which as we now know, was in fact attached to the contracts by the MOE. That is a very important piece of information to know, even if its too late now, in light of the whole controversy over the despicable OECTA MOU.

The disproportionality between what Brock did and the punishment given is so out of whack it seems incredulous to me that he was being punished for the reasons forwarded to the Discipline Panel and acted upon so strongly and in such great haste.

There is a often very fine dividing line between sinners and saints, especially when it comes to martyrdom. It can all come down to on whose side they are on. I would argue Halton Elementary concerns about Richard are not the issue here in this context and that he is being used as a red herring for other purposes. I would also argue the issue is not whether he is a good local president or not. The principle at stake is the abuse of power going on somewhere up at the provincial office, with his case being used as a smokescreen on behalf of particular interests to silence any opposition to the MOU or dissent within OECTA as a whole to the new order of things.

Another concern of mine is that it seems every year now OECTA AGM has to find some loophole to close up after the fact, not unlike closing the barn door after the horse is gone; first with the Executive MOU ratification, + now the independent committee procedures. I wonder if that is a coincidence? It could go on forever and allow a lot of actions to transpire that the membership might well not support if they had their druthers. At any rate it's just a little too disingenuous for me anyway, to put much faith in trying to close up the loopholes at AGM each year after the damage is done, as no doubt will be the case again, this time with Richards dismissal at the upcoming AGM.

I regret this is probably of little or no solace to you with your other concerns at the unit. I hope I am not sounding dismissive. I try to have every point of view represented here so please do not think I am targeting you or your credibility or even passing judgement on whether Richard is a good local president or not. I am just wary of getting sidetracked by that right now in focusing on what is really going on in the greater sense up at OECTA Provincial. I think you are concerned about that too, so hope you understand my comments in the spirit in which they are intended.

Just my opinion ....

In solidarity!

David C

Anonymous said...

Does it strike you as ridiculous that Richard Brock's principled fight was to get some money for the members from the death benefits? This is his legacy! When other units negotiated retirement gratuities, "Bad Boy Brock" negotiated death benefits. Why? According to Brock, the board wouldn't negotiate with regard to retirement gratuities. Well, all right then, if the board is insistent, let's just give in and accept death benefits. This is the same fearless leader who told the local Burlington paper that the word strike isn't in our vocabulary during collective bargaining. I know others out there will remember this as there were many who were incredulous at this comment. What does this comment tell the board?

I am going to suggest you become more knowledgeable about Brock's behind the scenes deals before you title him as a "Bad Boy" who has been martyred for the masses.

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