The following is NBTF Policy 12 adopted by the BTF Board of Directors on February, 2006. This policy can be accessed at any on the NBTF Member Only web site at www.nbtffenb.ca.
POLICY STATEMENT
- It is the teacher’s contractual responsibility to attend at school and be available to teach or to carry out such other professional duties assigned by the school district.
- Teachers must attend at school even if non-teaching personnel are not available for work or when groups of people are involved in a demonstration on or near the school grounds which could be interpreted as preventing teachers from entering the school premises. If teachers decided unilaterally to stay away from school, such action could be considered an illegal strike in contravention of the Public Service Labour Relations Act, and Article 4 of the Collective Agreement which states: “There shall be no strikes or lock-outs during the term of this Agreement”.
- Picket lines or demonstrations should not deter teachers from entering the school. However, if picket lines are in place and prevent entrance or if any group demonstrating attempts to prevent teachers from entering the school, they should confer with the principal who should then report to the Director of Education and request advice on how to proceed. In such circumstances, teachers should refrain from any action which could reasonably be seen as constituting a danger to their personal safety.
- If teachers are in the schools and there are only a few students or no students present, principals should contact the Director of Education seeking advice on what should be done.
- In the event of a work stoppage by non-teaching personnel, teachers must continue to carry out their normal responsibilities and duties but should not perform any function not normally required of them.