Lecturers demand a meeting with the board in Venlo
The teaching staff of the Education Community Venlo & Surroundings (OGVO) wants to quickly discuss the task policy, the culture of fear and compliance with the collective labor agreement with managers. In a special staff meeting after class, the teachers want to discuss the need for change.
Statue: Algemene Onderwijsbond
“We attach an ultimatum to that meeting with the regulators, the Executive Board and the site directors,” says AObdistrict manager Perry van Liempt. "If they are not present or if the board does not meet the requirements enough, we will consider further action." That is the outcome of the meeting that the AOb today with the other unions held in Venlo to talk about the impending conflict at the school.
Signal
In theater De Maaspoort, approximately 175 teachers were present who work at the three locations of OGVO. Their lessons were canceled today, because the meeting was scheduled by the unions during class time. Van Liempt: "We want to give a clear signal that the teachers are done with the policy of the school group."
Start this school year the board reported that teachers have to teach an hour more per week because of financial problems. According to the president of the board Peter Badoux, this was a temporary measure to get the budget in order.
To pass on
During the meeting, it turned out that it is not just about task policy and working hours more per week. Four teachers, working at the different locations, want to anonymously tell their story about what is going on. “The bottom line is that every three years the financial problems of the school group are passed on to the staff,” says a teacher.
Her colleague adds: “We notice this for the class: the groups are larger, which makes differentiation difficult, there are colleagues in a special 'support foundation' (a kind of temporary employment structure) and they are not permanently employed. We have to re-train people over and over again. It really comes at the expense of the quality of education. That is why I am here today, for the students. ”
They hide the financial problems under the guise of the collective labor agreement. We are on the blisters, but our buttocks are not burned
Non-compliance with the collective labor agreement is another pain point. "And if you say anything about that, you will come across a solid wall at both the board and the supervisory board." According to the teachers, the staff section of the participation council does try to make agreements, but then they are not implemented. “They hide the financial problems under the guise of the collective labor agreement. We have blisters, but our buttocks are not burnt. ”
A starting teacher talks about the uncertainty in employment contracts. “During the first years I was in the support foundation. Then you received a letter of resignation in May and you just had to see if there were enough hours for the next school year. Then you are in uncertainty. I also did not build up unemployment rights, but I did not know that at the time. It is also about the mentality of the board. The way you are treated. I came in from the study program with ideas, but was put down. ”
Wheel turner
Teachers mention the mistrust from the board and the culture of fear. “There are colleagues with temporary contracts who are in the support foundation and do not dare to come. If you do not agree with it, you will be dismissed as a wheel turner. It hurts that the lessons are canceled now, but I do this for the long term and for the students. ”
During the meeting it becomes clear that the staff wants a meeting with the directors, supervisors, site directors and the joint participation council. They also made demands. AObdistrict manager Van Liempt: “One requirement is, for example, that the board will comply with the collective labor agreement and that something will be done about the culture of fear. We will now record this and discuss it with the board at the meeting. We are only at the beginning. The movement is now underway. Today teachers dared to name what is wrong. We will definitely continue."
Response board
President of the Board Peter Badoux of OGVO indicates that he would like to sit down for an interview. He regrets that he was not invited to today's meeting. “First of all, I would like to discuss the problems with the unions in a businesslike manner. Now there are a lot of slogans in which I don't recognize myself and which don't fit the bill. ”
Working the extra hour is an emergency measure, Badoux emphasizes. “That is temporary and necessary because of the finances. I have already indicated about the support foundation that it will be discontinued on 1 August 2019. Instead of voting and hearing cries, I need to discuss how we can tackle the problem of work pressure and the educational organization in combination with the task policy. That is the structural solution for the workload within OGVO. ”
At the beginning of next week, the date will be announced for the meeting with the board, the supervisors and the site directors.
Also read: OGVO wants to schedule teachers more hours for lessons
