Two hundred and eighty Vancouver teachers were handed notices today warning of potential layoffs in a week already packed with education news.
The notices of potential layoffs are required under teachers' collective agreement, according to board chair Patti Bacchus, who explained the district's human resource department works with the union to determine the number of notices that are delivered based on the VSB's projected budget shortfall.
It had been predicting a $14 million shortfall for the 2012/13 budget year, but it could drop to between $8 and $9 million, if trustees apply this year's surplus to the shortfall.
The figure could fall even further if the board cuts days off the calendar as it has for the past two school years. Although that decision is under review, up to about $1 million more could be shaved off the shortfall if 10 days are cut.
"[Staff and the union] work together to determine the numbers they think should be notified of potential layoff. This is an annual process. It's done at the staff level with the union. It's not a political decision," Bacchus said. "They look at what the budget projections are and it's worst-case scenario-what would be the maximum number of people who could potentially be affected by layoffs based on what we know now."
Actual layoff notices are handed out in early May after the VSB's budget is adopted at the end of April.
Last year, 399 notices of potential layoffs went out initially and 193 teachers were laid off.
The year before that, 800 notices went out and 337 teachers were laid off.
Bacchus said the board was accused of political fear mongering the year 800 letters were sent out.
The news of 280 notices of potential layoffs being delivered to teachers comes on a day they're casting ballots on whether to escalate their job action and one day after the provincial government introduced legislation to deal with the labour dispute.
Bacchus called the timing "terrible."
"We didn't anticipate what [would be] happening when the plans were made. It's a pretty unfortunate combination. It's a very stressful week. When [the notices] go out to schools, even though in big bold letters it will say this is not a layoff notice, it hits hard. We know that. It's unsettling for everyone when it happens even to your colleague when it's not you. Added into the whole labour issue that's happening right now, it's a lot of stress on everybody in the school system."
Bacchus wouldn't speculate on how many teachers might ultimately be laid off.
"This is what we call a very wide net to cover off any possibilities," she said. "We have to go through the budget process. The board has to look at what the updated shortfall is-it could still be adjusted as we get closer."
Twitter: @Naoibh
