THE V.1I.A. - COLLEGE COUNCIL DISPUTE:

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND FOR THE LANGARA FACULTY ASSOCIATION'S SUPPORT
FOR THE V.1I.A. POSITION.

The Faculty Association of the V.C.C., Langara campus is supporting the
V.1I.A. in its dispute with the College Council not simply because the V.I.A. is a
fellow union, sharing the same employer, but because the issues at stake affect
both college campuses vitally. At this moment the V.I.A.'s efforts to secure
universally applied professional development time for V.V.I. instructors are being
rebuffed by the College Council. However, this dispute is not new; the long exist-
ing professional developments provisions Langara instructors, along with other
important working conditions, have been under attack by the Executive Office and
the College Council for several years past as the following historical outline will
help to make clear. In particular, it is concern for the preservation of professional
development time so vital to the quality of education in a community college, that
underlies the Langara Faculty Association's present position.

1962: King Edward Adult Education Centre opened under auspices of the Vancouver
School Board.

1962
-1965: initial aspects of working conditions evolved thréugh discussion and
negotiation between centre instructors and administration.

 

1965: Vancouver Community College legislated into existence by School Board
executive action, comprising Vancouver Vocational Institute, Vancouver
School of Art, King Edward Centre.

:Faculty associations in each centre either in existence or then
organized.

: King Edward Centre Faculty Association begins to formulate, with
administration, a Handbook of working conditions.

1969 « :
-1970: Provincial legislation establishes College Councils to operate Colleges
under amendment to Public Schools Act.

1970: King Edward Centre moves to Langara Campus.

:Special Programs Division organized at King Edward, absorbing some
courses from Langara under protest from many Langara Faculty.

1971: Overtures of uniformity of working conditions felt throughout College.
Feeling that College Council attempting to rescind traditional aspects
of Langara Faculty working conditions, especially two months of pro-
fessional development time. Handbook called an “accidental document"
to the indignation of faculty.

reluctance of College Council to improve working conditons of V.V.I.
and S.P.D. instructors.

:Dr. Gilligan replaces Dr. Wales as College Principal. College faculty
not asked to participate in selection of Dr. Gilligan.

1972
Jan.- Council - Administration attempts to:
Zebss - extend instructional year of some Langara faculty to 10 months from
8 months;
- exclude counsellors, librarians and part-time faculty from common
negotiations;
- make faculty appointments College-wide rather than campus-attached.
:Langara Faculty Association incensed by Dr. Gilligan's methods and
intent, votes no confidence in him. This vote has never been rescinded.
1972

Oct.: Langara Faculty Association first applies for certification as a legal
bargaining unit under the Labour Relations Act. Opposed as a separate
unit by College Council.

May: After some difficulty, certification as a bargaining unit granted under
the Labour Relations Act, to include"instructors, counsellors and librar-
ians at Vancouver Community College, Langara”.

June: First collective agreement signed.

: Position of Division chairmen disputed; Council feels them not to be
cont'd...