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Certainly the funding formula has built into it limited increases to allow for negotiated settlements. The formula was put in place some eight years ago, and the benchmarks used to determine funding for salaries had not been changed since that time. The formula has now been changed to increase the benchmarks to allow for salary increases negotiated during this school year and the next school year. Unfortunately, no change was made to allow for the increases negotiated between the implementation of the formula and now. In other words, there are four or five years worth of increases that remain unfunded.

The Continuing Education Instructors have a Collective Agreement that extends to August 2004, so there’s no problem there. The Professional Student Services Personnel (PSSP) unit has just reached an agreement that extends to August 2005. No problems there.

That leaves the Occasional Teachers and the Secondary Teachers, including Continuing Education Teachers. Both are bargaining now and have dates scheduled through the month of June. I refuse to make any predictions. I have learned from my past experiences that the best way to prevent something from happening is to predict that it will. There’s probably a scientific term to refer to the phenomenon. I think it’s the Bob Principle. It always happens to me.

Instead of predicting the future, maybe I’ll reflect on the past. I’m completing my fourth year as Federation Services Officer, 3 ½ of those as Chief Negotiator. I’ve been through three rounds of Teacher negotiations, two rounds each of Occasional Teacher and Continuing Education Teacher negotiations, one round of PSSP negotiations, and part of a round of Continuing Education Instructor negotiations. That last one took forever, which is how I could take part in only a portion of it during the time I’ve held this position. I have learned many things during this period. Perhaps I’ll summarize.

I’ve learned that the wheels often turn very slowly, and that sometimes that’s a good thing and sometimes it’s not. I’ve learned that banging your fist on the table may get someone’s attention, but to hold that attention you’d better be able to follow it with something more creative. I’ve learned that, although the details of our needs are different than those of the Board, we really have a common goal. I’ve learned that, unlike some other areas of Ontario, our Board does have respect for its employees and their needs, although it is sometimes less apparent than it should be and sometimes the odd person forgets. I’ve learned that the tory government’s funding formula has turned negotiations into a mathematical exercise. I’ve learned that the hammer loses its effectiveness if it is the first tool you pull from the box. I’ve learned that the most productive way to achieve our goals as a union are through creative and consultative problem solving. I’ve learned that sometimes you have to say the same thing many, many times and even then sometimes people don’t hear you.

Most of all, I’ve learned that there is no such thing as normal. And that’s the best thing. Because now no one can bother me about not being normal. Because no one is normal. Wait a minute. That means not being normal is normal. I’d better take a couple months to reflect on that. Maybe that could be my topic for September.