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06-08-2010
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Long-Time Member (500+ posts)
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Westside
Posts: 596
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
I was uptown today and there were 7 to 8 ladies with picket signs right where the cruise ship was docked. These were TA's and they were protesting for full time hours. Now I fully support your cause ladies, however that was not the right place to be doing that! You will quickly loose the publics support when you pull a stunt like that. It really makes our city look bad. I mean why did they pick that spot? Who were they hoping seen them....the tourists?
Last edited by T-Diddy; 06-08-2010 at 08:34 PM..
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06-08-2010
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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,121
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
That is horrible, who ever thought up that idea should be real proud of themselves! I agree it does make the city look bad.
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06-09-2010
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Long-Time Member (500+ posts)
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 521
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
I don't think image was a concern for them. It's about getting the point across to the public that TA's don't make enough to live on. When our union was on strike, we went where ever we could go that the most public display. I for one think the cruise terminal would be an ideal spot to picket. Lot's of public to see what you're fighting for!
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06-09-2010
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Long-Time Member (500+ posts)
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Westside
Posts: 596
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tremc
I don't think image was a concern for them. It's about getting the point across to the public that TA's don't make enough to live on. When our union was on strike, we went where ever we could go that the most public display. I for one think the cruise terminal would be an ideal spot to picket. Lot's of public to see what you're fighting for!
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Yes, we all know their under paid and over worked! But do you think anyone from that cruise ship is going to write a letter to our Goverment? I'm sure their potest fell on deaf ears! It dosen't take much for a cruise line to not visit a city, and I'm sure if there was a protest every time they docked, it may be a reason for them not to visit our city in the future. Pick your time and place ladies, that was neither!!!!!
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06-09-2010
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Long-Time Member (500+ posts)
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 990
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
I think they got through to people here we are talking about it word of mouth is the best way to advertise.
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06-09-2010
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Long-Time Member (500+ posts)
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Westside
Posts: 596
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
Quote:
Originally Posted by fuzzy
I think they got through to people here we are talking about it word of mouth is the best way to advertise.
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I think you will find that most people who talk about it on here will see it in poor taste. Like I said before, I fully support them, but I feel that was the wrong venue for that sort of thing.....just sayin!
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06-09-2010
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Member (100 to 500 posts)
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 432
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
I think TA's have one of them most important jobs, but let's face it, even if they get a raise it's not going to be substantial.
I bet some businesses uptown would pay you to hold advertising signs around market square and King St. Speaking of Market Square I see a guy that bangs on a garbage can with a twig, he seems to make some pretty good money. Maybe ask him if he has any tips.
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06-09-2010
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Member (100 to 500 posts)
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 295
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
I have an idea. To be a TA you do not need formal training. Therefore why you think you should make as much money as someone with formal training is. Something I do not understand. If you do not like what you are getting paid then it may be time to look for a different occupation. Protesting infront of a cruise ship is going to make a bad name for yourself. I would like to take a poll of the business owners uptown and find out how happy they would be with the TA's if the cruise ships decided they did not want to come anymore. I am sure those TA's would get alot of support from them
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06-09-2010
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Long-Time Member (500+ posts)
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 622
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
Shadow, TA's put up with alot more then teachers, and other people with "formal training" as you put it. They earn and deserve every penny of what they make plus more !!!! And by the way there is a course you take now in order to be a TA .
I agree, cruise ship terminal not the best protest spot, maybe they should have tried the School board office, or City Hall.
Last edited by puppyluv; 06-12-2010 at 04:59 AM..
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06-09-2010
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Member (100 to 500 posts)
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 167
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
Freedom
Freedom of assembly and of expression does no good unless it "interrupts" some major event, and in this city, a cruise ship is a big deal. Lots of opportunity to get a message out to the media and from there the rest of us. No one is going to hear you if you are shouting at yourself out in some remote location. As long as dissent and protest is done peacefully, it is all good and legal like.
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06-09-2010
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Member (100 to 500 posts)
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 362
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
They were not protesting in front of the cruise terminal. They were actually in front of Ed Doherty's office.
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06-10-2010
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Long-Time Member (500+ posts)
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Fredericton now...
Posts: 1,202
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
Quote:
Originally Posted by shadow
I have an idea. To be a TA you do not need formal training. Therefore why you think you should make as much money as someone with formal training is.
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That is not true. New TA's and even some of the older ones are now being required to have at LEAST the ECE course, many of them have the Human service course s well. They also are required to keep a valid CPR, FIRST AIDE, CRISIS INTERVENTION, and a number of other courses. If they don't take those courses, they can be "bumped" and replaced.
My mom is a TA, has been for over 10 years, she originally started without any "credentials" (other than being a foster parent for 20 years, mostly with children with special needs) In the past year she has been FORCED to take a ton of courses just to keep her job.
So please get the facts straight first before you bash TA's. Because without them, your children and schools would suffer.
Also the picketers may not have all been TA's. The new budget they are fighting against is cutting not only TA's but also secretaries, teachers, janitorial staff, librarians, and MANY other jobs in the schools. Also those that don't lose their jobs all together, will have their HOURS cut, and possibly their pay.
I personally think TA's need to be paid better. As I said before without them our kids suffer. Sometimes TAs are the only thing that keep kids learning, and keep the classrooms running, without overburdening the teachers.
Ok getting off my soap box now.
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06-11-2010
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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,121
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
We never had TA's when I was in school, we had 25 to 30 kids in our classrooms, and the teachers did just fine. Why the need for them now? Is it because the kids are so disrespectful that teachers can not handle them now? What has changed since the 80's?
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06-11-2010
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Member
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 682
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
Alot has changed since the 80's. Unfortunately, and one disruptive child can slow down the whole class. Many times there are reasons why this child acts up, root of the problem may not even be of his own doing or in his control, but it still happens. I never had a TA when I was in school either but when we were told to sit down and shut up, we did it out of fear of the consequences in the school as well as at home.
Basically I feel our children are in control now and they know it, Sad but True, therefore TA's are needed to help for those that need it as well as the required need for some of the special needs students. JMO
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06-11-2010
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Long-Time Member (500+ posts)
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Fredericton now...
Posts: 1,202
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chinna Dah
We never had TA's when I was in school, we had 25 to 30 kids in our classrooms, and the teachers did just fine. Why the need for them now? Is it because the kids are so disrespectful that teachers can not handle them now? What has changed since the 80's?
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A lot of that had to do with special classes and special education programs that USED to be in place in the school system. They took all the kids with "special needs" and put them in one class with a few teachers.
Budgets were cut and now there are no more special education classes/schools. These kids were put into the general school system so they didn't feel isolated. So now that these kids with special needs are in the "regular" school, a single teacher cannot handle them AND the regular students. It is not possible.
Another thing that has changed since the 80's is the prevalence of autism, learning disabilities, behavior problems, and other disabilities (FAS, ADHD, ODD etc) Not to mention the crappy parenting that alot of kids live with. Parents that don't give a crap about their children, don't discipline etc. That manifests at school into a lot of different issues.
One teacher can not and should not be expected to teach 30 kids when half of them at least have disabilities/behaviour issues that make teaching impossible.
Like I said before the picketers were probably not just for the TA's. EVERYONE in the school system is in danger of being cut this year.
According to the union meeting, "all non essential workers can expect to have hours reduced, pay reduced, and possibly elimination of jobs"
Do you really want your children's schools to have no janitor? Can you imagine how dirty and disgusting the school will be without them?? But they are considered non essential workers. So who do you think is going to have to pick up the slack if the janitors are cut? The kids sure as heck are not going to clean. THE TEACHERS will be expected to help with the cleaning of the schools, so that either means staying late after school (unpaid of course, taking time from THEIR families) or taking class time to clean. Just one example.
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06-11-2010
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Long-Time Member (500+ posts)
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Fredericton now...
Posts: 1,202
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
Quote:
Originally Posted by bradorna
Basically I feel our children are in control now and they know it, Sad but True, therefore TA's are needed to help for those that need it as well as the required need for some of the special needs students. JMO
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I totally agree with you. Parents don't discipline their children, children do not respect authority these days, add that on top of children with learning/physical/mental/behavioral issues and imagine what the schools would be like without the help of the amazing TA's.
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06-11-2010
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**Silver-Level** Paid Account
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: North End
Posts: 2,003
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chinna Dah
We never had TA's when I was in school, we had 25 to 30 kids in our classrooms, and the teachers did just fine. Why the need for them now? Is it because the kids are so disrespectful that teachers can not handle them now? What has changed since the 80's?
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No separate classes for actual severe special needs, and can't suspend/expel the ones who are just determined to cause havoc. It's part of the reason my education degree is gathering dust in a trunk somewhere. I think we need TA's for assisting kids who can learn at the classroom pace but need some physical help like sign language or motor skills, but I have seen classrooms with 15 kids and 4 TAs, one each for two kids with "ADHD", one for a physical impairment, and one for a nonspecified emotional issue where the child often had to leave school halfway through most days because she got easily stressed and violent. Another time I supplied, the TA said "Don't get near that one in the wheelchair, he bites- I had to get a hep-C vaccination series because of him". No one should have to risk that at work for just walking by someone. I don't dispute they need more money, but I do dispute sometimes the number of TA's per classroom, and that there are no guidelines. Sometimes school administration mismanages or co-opts the help away from where it is needed- one class I worked in for a short term contract, other teachers kept saying enviously how I had a "full time TA assigned to that math class" and I was like"I DO? Who is it?"- I saw her in the room maybe twice a week for 20-30 minutes, she was always going off to supervise an assisted test, drive the van to take a kid to some appointment or outing, or she spent her hour in the resource room photocopying worksheets for other classes. People were wondering why the class was such a behavioural challenge for me because on paper, I had help. She was an excellent TA-when she was there- the kids responded to her well, and she knew high school math. Correct me if I am wrong, but if your "assignment" is to spend period 4 with Mr X's grade 9, you spend all of period 4 actually IN his room. I know that it wasn't her choice to go off and do that, she was pulled in 10 directions by the demands put on her, which should NOT have happened if they were actually following some guidelines.
Last edited by trinity; 06-11-2010 at 07:08 PM..
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06-12-2010
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**Bronze-Level** Paid Account
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 249
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
ok, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer I'll admit, so just so I can relate........I work at a contact center....I love it, good people, ,good job, fulfilling, etc.....but I only get 30 hours a week - company policy. Do I get to protest at a public area- maybe the dog park- , and demand more hours, and EXPECT public support, or should I just look for another job that suits my financial requirements better?
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08-05-2010
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Member (100 to 500 posts)
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 292
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
Ships
I think it is about time to pickett these ships with all the people from outside the city taking work from our people.I wish this city would stand up for our people like Quebec does these people would not be allowed to come in here to work. And don't tell me there not because the Cruise Ship Lines have company's coming in from other citys to do the work.
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08-05-2010
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Member (100 to 500 posts)
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 405
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Topic: Protesters Uptown by Cruise Ship
Special Ed classes are a thing of the past. It was determined it was in the best interest of all children to integrate children with physical, mental and emotional disabilities into the mainstream classrooms. There also was a facility (hospital) on the west side that was closed. If you were in school in the 80's or prior to, you would not have seen the more severely disabled children as they would have been in this facility. I believe when this facility closed the provincial government was going to put more funding in place to assist with children with disabilities. I also believe this funding was supposed to be extended to the school districts.
TA's are worth their weight in gold to the children that require additional support in the classroom. And yes they are required to now have a minimum ECE or HSC to be considered for a position. Why shouldn't they expect a permanent position?
If picketing is bringing attention to this problem, then by all means picket.
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