Press Release

Vancouver, BC

June 3, 2009

ESL Teachers Vote ‘Yes’ to Unionize

Newest Downtown Vancouver Private English-as-a-Second Language School Joins ETEA

Vancouver–Instructors at Pacific Language Institute have voted overwhelmingly to join the Education and Training Employees’ Association (ETEA), a union that represents post-secondary educators in British Columbia’s private colleges and institutes. The vote to unionize was supervised by the Labour Relations Board. Over 90 per cent of the PLI instructors voted to join ETEA.

PLI is a major provider of private post-secondary language services in Vancouver’s thriving private ESL sector. Downtown Vancouver is home to about 100 private ESL schools. PLI has been operating in Vancouver for over 20 years. Kaplan Aspect, a subsidiary of the Washington Post, bought PLI out a year ago. Since then, teachers say working and learning conditions have declined.

“We are thrilled about PLI’s certification,” said ETEA Local 1 president Bari Blackhart. “The vote to unionize at PLI sends another strong message that private post-secondary instructors are looking for the representation and better working conditions that come with unionization,” Blackhart added.

“Quality learning opportunities for our students is a key priority for these newly organized instructors,” says Jeff McKeil, FPSE representative for ETEA. “Unfortunately, employers have allowed teaching conditions to deteriorate, a move that has convinced many instructors in these private colleges to join ETEA and push for better outcomes,” McKeil added. “What we’re seeing in this economic climate is what we’ve always seen when a crisis hits Vancouver’s private colleges: learning conditions suffer. However, this sector was strong enough to weather the Korean market crash, 9/11, SARS, and a bruised reputation when schools closed their doors on students. The hard work of instructors at private colleges made all the difference in overcoming these problems. Today’s vote at PLI is another indication that private post-secondary instructors want to see better conditions in their institutions,” McKeil notes.

McKeil adds, “What we don’t see is a shared increase in teaching conditions in the good times. Now is exactly the time for teachers to consider organizing for the better good of their students and the industry.”

“As the first union private ESL school in Vancouver, we’ve relied on the help of our colleagues to get the respect they’ve earned,” says ETEA organizer Lorraine Rehnby. “Our union drive has paid off. Clearly, a collective voice is what the ESL-teaching community wants,” Rehnby concluded.

*ETEA, the Education and Training Employees’ Association, is comprised of Local 1 (International Language Schools of Canada), Local 2 (Language Studies Canada), certified in 2008, and soon-to-be Local 3 (Pacific Language Institute). It is the largest faculty union in the BC private adult school system and is a member of FPSE, the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators. See http://www.eteaunion.org for more information.