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Purpose of this Document:

This document will outline the basic elements of Schedule K of the current collective agreement between the NBTF and the Board of Management as well as some general guidelines related to the application of this mechanism.

Schedule K reads as follows:

Whereas the parties recognize that the Teachers’ Working Conditions Fund will improve the working conditions of teachers and thus lead to a mutual aim of the parties to provide quality education.

The parties agree that since September 1, 1996, a Teachers’ Working Conditions Fund has been established which provides to teachers a negotiated amount per school year to be administered as follows:

1. The Teachers’ Working Conditions Fund is to be utilized to improve the working conditions of teachers in schools and alternative work sites.
2. Each school or alternative work site shall appoint a teacher committee to administer the teachers’ working conditions fund. The Teachers’ committee shall make all decisions concerning the utilization of the monies in the fund for projects related to Articles 19 and 22. Proposals by the teacher committee for other uses of the fund including wellness and PD activities, educational material and school improvement plan shall be subject to the approval of the Superintendent or his/her designate. .
3. The Teacher’s Committee shall inform the Superintendent and/or designate of all projects and expenditures approved by the committee. In addition, the school and alternative work site committee shall consider suggestions and recommendations submitted by the Superintendent and/or designate which could improve the working conditions of teachers, and which the Working Conditions Fund could finance.
4. Proposals to be considered by the Teacher Committee may be submitted by any teacher on staff in that school or alternate site.
5. The hiring of personnel, purchasing of goods and services, or any other expenditure which results from the utilization of the fund, shall be administered and processed by the School District.
6. Projects financed by the Teachers’ Working Conditions Fund must have a duration equal to the amount of funding allocated; and, under no circumstances shall these projects create a continuing obligation, financial or otherwise, for either the employer or the teachers.
7. Forty percent (40%) of the fund shall be distributed equally to each school and alternative work site in the province. The balance of the fund shall be distributed proportionally to each school and alternative work site based on the number of approved full-time equivalent teachers in the school or alternate site as of September 30 of any school year.

Purpose of this Schedule

1. Initially, the Teachers’ Working Conditions Fund was referred to as the Quality of Work Life article. However, this has evolved and a new direction has been established in terms of the possibility for teaching staff to improve their working conditions and to contribute to a continuously improved delivery of educational services.
2. Application

The Teacher Committee:

• It is important to note that the Teacher Committee in each school or alternate site has the responsibility to decide which projects related to articles 19 and 22, the school will adopt in the application of this Schedule and to decide which other projects will be submitted to the Superintendent and/or designate.
• The Teacher Committee should consider the guidelines contained in this document and develop any other general guidelines pertaining to the types of projects that will be acceptable and the logistics of these projects.
• The parties rely on the initiative and cooperation of Teachers to arrive at projects that best meet the intentions of the fund and that would be considered by all to be reasonable.

The Superintendent may also make suggestions to the school or alternative work site committee on these projects designed to improve working conditions. There could be an agreement as to how these suggestions can be made locally.

Guidelines:

• The projects have to be related to the improvement of working conditions of teachers as provided in the Letter of Agreement.
• The monies should not be used to purchase services or materials that would normally be the responsibility of the school district.
• The parties recognize the need to promote the responsible use of this fund. In general, application for systemic purposes rather than individual purposes is highly recommended.

School Principals:

The purpose of this schedule is to improve working conditions of members including principals. The teacher committee should include a representative from the administration of the school or alternate site. It is suggested that school committees plan their projects in detail so as not to unduly increase the workload of principals. This may involve drawing up a schedule of supervisions for auxiliary personnel where required with the approval of the school administration.

NOTE: If a school committee requires assistance, contacts should be made with the NBTF staff officer assigned to the district or with school district management representatives.