Latest news with #CUPEN.L.
CBC
19-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
This co-chair with the Education Accord wants to clear up confusion
CUPE N.L. has quit the Education Accord, citing concerns that government is dismantling the province's public education system. But advisory co-chair Karen Goodnough says privatization is not on the table. Goodnough dropped by the CBC Radio studio in St. John's to explain the purpose of the Education Accord, which was established more than a year ago.
CBC
19-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Privatization of N.L. school system not on the table, says Education Accord co-chair
Response comes after advisory board member quits due to privatization concerns One of the leaders of the team tasked with modernizing Newfoundland and Labrador's education system says she never would have joined if she thought privatization was on the table. Education Accord advisory board co-chair Karen Goodnough is disputing accusations from CUPE N.L. president Sherry Hillier, who announced earlier this week she would no longer sit on the advisory board over worries the government is dismantling the province's public education system. "No, I would not be here and I can assure you that my co-chair, Dr. Anne Burke, would not be part of this process if that was the intent," Goodnough recently told CBC. There were no references to privatization in the group's interim report, she added, though she said she can understand Hillier's concerns about privatization and job losses. "But that's not part of our job, or our mandate, as providing strategic direction for the accord — that's not what we do," said Goodnough. "I think, from my perspective, they must be misunderstanding the purpose of the accord and confusing [it] with government and operations." Hillier's decision to step down came after Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty Association president Josh Lepawsky's announcement in January that he was leaving the advisory board. Late in the game The provincial government launched the Education Accord in January of last year. Goodnough said the board has been talking with individuals, families and community groups on ways to improve the education system. "We're almost into our 14th month and we're very close to releasing our final report, which will have a set of calls to action with suggestions for pathways, targets," she said. She added Hillier decided to withdraw from the advisory board at a very late stage. While she is disappointed with Hillier's decision to walk away, she also thanked Hillier for her involvement. "The more people we can have involved, more individuals and groups, the more robust our report, our final report, will be," said Goodnough. The advisory board's interim report was released in January. "The intent of the interim report was not to provide specific calls to action or calls to transformation at this point. It was to outline the process in which we were involved based on the accord," she said. The results of the interim report was what Hillier said prompted her to make her decision to leave the board. Goodnough said the interim report also brought up themes that might show up in the final report. "So saying that, you know, there's no direction in the interim report is incorrect and the final report will have those calls to action," she said. Goodnough said the final report will have specific and broader recommendations for the government, adding it will be up to the government to determine its next steps.
CBC
17-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
CUPE latest group to back out of N.L. Education Accord, warning of creeping privatization
A second organization says it will no longer be participating in the Newfoundland and Labrador government's team tasked with overhauling the province's education system. CUPE N.L. president Sherry Hillier says she will no longer sit on the Education Accord's advisory board, over worries the government is dismantling the province's public education system. Hillier said the decision stems from a recent interim report from the group. "You can see the writing on the wall. It's talking privatization and cutting back of public sector jobs. It's a little sprinkle of the Green report, which reeked of privatization similar to the Health Accord, Education Accord," Hillier told CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show. CUPE N.L.'s withdrawal from the group follows Memorial University's Faculty Association president Josh Lepawsky announcement in January that he was stepping away. "We did reach out to MUNFA and talked to them on their concerns — basically, same as ours. And after much deliberation and getting the interim report, we felt it was just very fitting that we walk away from this," said Hillier. CUPE N.L. also walked away from the Health Accord following an interim report. Threat of P3 model Hillier said she's worried government will build schools using a public-private partnership, known as a P3 model. She said the newly opened Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook, built with a P3 approach, should have had 200 beds but instead has 160 beds. She worries if the new Kenmount Terrace school is built on the P3 model, it won't be built to serve the necessary number of students. Her concerns over the future of N.L.'s education system go beyond just the K-12 education system and into post-secondary. She said CUPE N.L. would have given Memorial University a "failing grade" because of the hiring freeze announced late last year. "We know that the facility is falling down. There's actually a committee started up [at the] university called Fund MUN," said Hillier. She said MUN is eliminating jobs and people are retiring due to stress. "Is government going to look at making Memorial University a private university," she said. CBC News has asked Minister of Education Krista Lynn Howell for an interview. Voicing concerns violence in schools, and keeping jobs like driving school buses in the public sector. CUPE N.L. has approximately 1,000 members who work in the K-12 education system, in roles like custodians, secretaries and some bus drivers.
