Newsletter Retired Teachers’ Association Vol. 14 No. 1 November 2003 Speaking of BGM 2004, we hope to see many of you in Gander on President’s Message October 5-7/04. The theme for our Gladys Costella Eighth Reunion is: Retirement — Something to Crow About. We Greetings once again from your regular annual increases to the pen- hope that all our retirees are enjoy- Provincial Executive as we enter the sions of all retired teachers in this ing the truth embodied in that theme. second year of our mandate. province. We have to keep reminding Please register early to be eligible for the new Government that this is still And what busy year it has been! the Early Bird Draw. Winning will give the only province in Canada that does While it is true that we have not yet you something else to “crow about”. not have in place an automatic adjust- succeeded in getting Ad Hoc increas- In fact, just being there — reuniting ment formula to provide indexing for es to the pension benefits of retired with former colleagues and making all its retired teachers; moreover, that teachers, I am sure you all realize that, new friends — will give you some- retired teachers in this province have since being elected at our October thing to crow about! Many of us had no increase to pensions since 2002 BGM, the members of your have attended all seven Reunions and January/89, almost fifteen years ago! Provincial Executive have been work- know what an enjoyable and exhila- ing diligently on the pension issue, I realize that I have said that many rating experience it is. as well as on other matters that are times before, but we must keep say- of importance to our members. On ing it, to everyone, over and over as • • • • • • • your behalf, I would like to begin this many times as it takes to get positive We welcome communication from Message by thanking each of them for results. Those that have the power to our members and would like to see their dedication and support over the change things must be made to real- more of it. Page 2 of this Newsletter first year of our two-year term. ize, as we do, the urgency of the situ- contains the e-mail addresses of all Also, thanks are due to those ation facing so many of our retired Provincial Executive Members, as well Division and Regional Presidents who teachers, and the injustice that has as their mailing addresses and phone responded so quickly when called been done to all. numbers, to make it easier for you to contact us. Perhaps you would like to upon to get information out to our • • • • • • • membership, and to those members write a “Letter to the Editor” or an arti- In this Newsletter, also, you will find of the Political Action Committee cle for the Newsletter? Also, remem- a copy of the letter sent by the new who continue to offer advice and to ber that “tales” are still needed for ACER/CART President, Val Alcock, to give assistance where needed. Finally, Volume II of Tales Told by Teachers. then Premier Grimes on August 11/03, from all of us on your Provincial urging the Government to “do what is • • • • • • • Executive, our sincere thanks to all right and provide regular increases” to those members of our Association On behalf of all members of RTANL, our retired teachers. After the change who have sprung into action when I extend a WARM WELCOME to those of Government, I was in contact with asked, as well as to those who have retired teachers who have joined our ACER/CART’s Executive Director, who been kind enough to let us know Association since the January 2003 assured me that President Val will be that they appreciate, and are actively Newsletter. You will be glad you did, sending the same message to Premier supporting, our efforts. The positive and the Association needs every retired Williams as soon as possible. We are comments about our Political Action teacher in the Province. Together we grateful for the support given by ACER/ approach, the Newsletter, and even are strong! CART since the June 2003 AGM, and the Summer News Flyer, have been Finally, to all of our members, Best the offer of further help as required. truly gratifying. Wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Your Executive views this, as well as New Year that turns out to be your • • • • • • • the changes that occurred at that AGM, best one ever! May your retirement Elsewhere in this Newsletter, you as a sign that our membership in ACER/ continue to bring you good health will find a detailed update on our CART is worth continuing, at least until and happiness. Political Action efforts since the October 6/04, when we will have to be last Newsletter, but I would like to guided by our membership’s decision emphasize here that we still have a at the BGM. (See ACER/CART Report long struggle ahead of us before we in this Newsletter.) can hope to achieve our ultimate goal: • • • • • • • TABLE OF CONTENTS Provincial Executive Provincial Executive 2002-04 Committees 2002-04 (As set up at November 14-15,2002, Provincial Executive Meeting in Burin . 3 Executive meeting with additions) Political Action Update . .4 President . Gladys Costella Benefits . .Bill Day (Chairperson) 93 Caribou Road, Corner Brook, NL Tomi Cleal & George Evans News & Views . .8 A2H 4X2 (634-2136) Liaison . President (Gladys) [email protected] Vice-President (Don) Avalon East Division . .8 Vice-President . Don Case (Treasurer Clayton is alternate) P.O. Box 28, Salmon Cove, NL Newsletter . Gladys Costella (Editor) Bonavista Division . .9 A0A 3S0 (596-5428) Emily Mullett (Assistant Editor) [email protected] Clayton Rice (Business Manager) Burin Division . .10 RTANL Biennial Award Past President . .William Day P.O. Box 186, Clarenville, NL . Don Case (Chairperson) Central Division . .11 A0E 1J0 (466-2887) Ada Hollett & Phil Patey [email protected] ACER/CART Gladys Costella (Director) Coast of Bays Division . .11 Clayton Rice (Observer) Secretary . Emily Mullett (& Provincial Executive Members) 99 Brookfield Ave, Corner Brook, NL Con-Tri Division . .12 A2H 2R5 (634-4611) Political Action [email protected] (Continuing as structured during 2001-02) Western Division . .12 Treasurer . Clayton Rice Chairperson . .Gladys Costella 29 Diana Road, St. John’s, NL Labrador West Regional . 13 A1B 1H7 (753-3920) (Corner Brook) [email protected] Port aux Basques Regional . 14 Core group (in Western Division): . Members-at-Large: . Agnes Hughes & Emily Mullett Insurance Claims Thomasina Cleal (Corner Brook) Skyrocket . .15 12 Indian Pond Road, Conception Bay Alvin Cassell & Ada Norris South, NL A1X 6R4 (744-2790) (Deer Lake) [email protected] Retired Teachers’ Representation from other Divisions: George Evans Foundation report . .16 368 Conception Bay Hwy Avalon East . Tomi Cleal (Seal Cove) Conception Bay South, NL A1X 7A4 ACER/CART . .19 [email protected] (834-2203) Ann Pennell (St. John’s) Ada Hollett Bonavista . Duncan Ford (Bonavista) MUN Class of ’54 P.O.Box 666, Grand Bank, NL A0E 1W0 Reunion . .21 [email protected] Burin . Albert Dober (Marystown) Philip Patey Lewis Payne (Grand Bank) In Memoriam . Back Cover P.O. Box 87, Lewisporte, NL A0G 3A0 Central . Bill Day (Clarenville) [email protected] . (535-2569) James Dobson (Grand Falls-Windsor) Jim Warren (Gander) NLTA Website Provincial Newsletter Coast of Bays . Lenus Lawrence Deadline To receive information that may become Deadline for items for the next (English Harbour West) available between Newsletters, please go to Newsletter is February 29/04. the NLTA website - www.nlta.nl.ca and click Con-Tri . Harold Dawe on RTANL. Please share any information Please submit on “floppy” with (Coley’s Point South) written/typed copy, if possible. with fellow RTANL members who do not Reunion 2004 have access to the Web. (Once again, we Gladys Costella, Ada Hollett, thank the NLTA for letting us avail of this Newsletter Insert Philip Patey, Emily Mullett & Bill Day website.) Look for Reunion 2004 Registration Finance Form included as an insert with this Newsletter. Clayton Rice,(Chairperson), Don Case, George Evans, Tomi Cleal RTANL Newsletter 2 November 2003 Executive Meeting in Burin – A First for the Association! Provincial Executive with Members of Burin Division outside Wong’s Palace Restaurant in Marystown, September 27/03. Burin Division President & Vice-President (Ada & Jamie Hollett) chat with provincial Vice-President Don Case before lunch at Wong’s. Members of Burin Division enjoy lunch at Wong’s Palace Restaurant. President Gladys addresses members of Burin Division. Division (That’s Executive member Phil Patey, front right.) President Ada Hollett & Vice-President Jamie Hollett are at left; Clayton Rice & Emily Mullett (RTANL Treasurer & Secretary) are at right. Eighth Reunion of Retired Teachers and RTANL BGM 2004 at Hotel Gander October 5-7, 2004 Register for the reunion by August 15/04 to be eligible for the Early Bird Draw. (Use registration form “insert” That’s Executive Members Phil Patey & George Evans peeping around enclosed with this Newsletter.) Burin Division’s Founding President, Lewis Payne, as other Division members look on. RTANL Newsletter 3 November 2003 Political Action Update Political Action Continues for a question and answer session. mation to make sure he would be An Update by Chairperson/ No reply was received from Liberal aware of our concerns prior to the President Gladys Incumbent Judy Foote, but the meeting (a meeting that would now other three did agree to appear. PC have to be sandwiched between the In the Summer News Flyer, I brought Candidates Dr. Darin King and Mr. many meetings of a hectic politi- you up to date on our progress (or Clyde Jackman attended for an hour cal campaign, since we had made lack thereof) prior to September on Friday afternoon, while Liberal it clear that we wanted a meeting 2003.