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VEC closes amid strikes, salary negotiations

Amid ongoing salary negotiations between the teachers’ union and management and a month-long teachers strike, Vancouver English Centre closed suddenly on Friday after 23 years of operation.

Some 600 students will be affected by the closure of the school. Photo: VEC

The school’s closure affects 600 international students and leaves 100 staff members unemployed

VEC’s management posted a notice on the school’s door, website and social media accounts that VEC is not expected to reopen stating that it was the only possible course of action.

Teachers at the English language school had been on strike for the past four weeks after pay rise negotiations between the union representing the teachers and the school’s management failed in early July.

“Our cash flow dried up as soon as the strike started”

On August 22, the school’s owner, Ken Gardner, had agreed to start private mediations on Friday, August 26. However, in an email sent at 2:30am on Friday, Gardner informed administration staff that the school would close.

The closure was confirmed by a notice on the school’s door and later the school’s website on Friday saying: “VEC is closed and we do not expect to reopen.

We apologise for any problems that this might cause. Unfortunately, this was the only possible course of action.”

According to Kim Fissel, VEC teacher and interim president of the Education and Training Employees’ Association Local 9 branch, Gardner didn’t inform the union or the mediator that negotiations were cancelled and the school would close.

Speaking to Vancouver Metro News on Sunday, Gardner said: “Our cash flow dried up as soon as the strike started. Our current students went to other schools, or returned to their home countries. Applications for admission were no longer coming in. Closure was our only option, since we were insolvent.”

Youngil Shin, who was a student at the school for the past year, says he will now leave without finishing his course and with CAN$1,000 in undelivered course fees.

“During the first week of the strike, we asked for a refund. At that time, the [owner] said he couldn’t say whether he can refund [our tuition] or not, because he’s awaiting his lawyer’s advice,” Shin said.

So far, there is no further information on whether tuition fees will be refunded and if owed money to staff members will be paid. The school’s closure affects 600 international students and leaves 100 staff members unemployed.

Languages Canada has reached out to students to assist in replacing them at Vancouver areas schools.

The PIE News has contacted Ken Gardner for further comment.

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6 Responses to VEC closes amid strikes, salary negotiations

    • Wow. You have scammed many students out of tuitions and how about your homestay scams? Ya buddy, you may want to look up the word ignorant in the dictionary. Maybe you will have plenty of time to do that when you are in prison. We had teachers, with University degrees making $12 per hour. So anything above minimum wahe makes people greedy? How about all the money you stole from students and homestay Parents? Your chickens are coming home to roost. You are done in this industry.

    • Those 45 greedy ignorant teachers brought in millions dollars for that school over 23 years. It’s a pity that one foolish and ignorant man could not give them a raise that they deserved for the money they brought him. Shame on the management.

    • 45 greedy – really how greedy! ‘Ignorant teachers’ – why were they employed for so long! Interesting. Obviously the employer is ignorant & greedy too. Why were the students not refunded ? I think this is GREED ! I feel for the teachers who spent countless hours to make the employer rich.

    • Very biased opinion to say the least…

      I am not sure if this is really Ken Gardner but you shouldn’t be commenting on The Pie News but rather trying to come up with a solution for the mess you left and what you can potentially do to Canada’s reputation as an international destination.

      Before the teachers decided to go on strike the school had already lost its Languages Canada accreditation; however the Languages Canada logo was still being used on the school’s website illegally. Furthermore the school failed to certified by PICTIA before the teachers went on a strike and as a consequence could not enrolls students for academic programs that required a study permit due to lack of a DLI number.

      But more important you hired the 45 ignorant teachers so what does that say about you?

      I agree the teachers didn’t know they were delivering the schools a coup de grace (mercy shot) when they went the strike; however this outcome was coming regardless of the strike, it was just a matter of time.

      By the way if the school was really paying the teachers what the rumors are saying it actually surprises me that it took them so long to go on a strike.

  1. Ken Gardner had every opportunity to end this strike in mediation. We had teachers that were earning $12 and hour. These are teachers with University degrees. Ken walked away from mediation. He literally turned his back on the mediator and walked out of the room. Ken refused to pay teachers the industry standard. Once he walked out of mediation, his plan was to close the school……..he planned this for awhile.
    He offered free education vouchers to the students who had paid, knowing full well that he would close down the school. This is fraud. Ken Gardner collected homestay fees from many students and failed to pay many homestay families. This is fraud. Ken Gardner paid teachers up to one month late, on a regular basis, so that he could collect interest on salaries. This is fraud. Ken Gardner agreed to meet with students and agents alike, in regards to refunds, but kept brushing them off. This is fraud. I had one of my students stand in front of me crying her eyes out, because Ken Gardner refused to pay her a refund and failed to give the homestay Family the money that the student paid to VEC. This is fraud. Ken Gardner is a CRIMINAL.

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