Sask. teachers announce another week of job action, education minister teases announcement
STF withdraw extracurricular support across the province for all of next week
The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) has announced it will continue job action next week, as the government continues to tout "record" spending in its 2024/2025 provincial budget.
Teachers across the province will withdraw from extracurricular participation for all of next week, while some divisions will see teachers withdraw noon-hour supervision on Monday.
Saskatchewan teachers have been without a contract since August and bargaining on a new contract remains at a standstill.
Both sides of the labour dispute refuse to budge on the issues of class size and complexity.
Finance Minister Donna Harpauer told CBC's Saskatoon Morning this week that any discussion with the STF has been difficult.
"The challenge that we're having with the Teachers' Federation is we feel that they should go to the bargaining table and have the discussions, but they are not defining clearly what it is exactly they want," she said.
STF president Samantha Becotte told media that's not true during a news conference Friday. She said teachers have been clear that the sticking point is class complexity and class size.
Becotte declined to provide numbers, but said teachers are flexible and the government knows what they want.
"Those items were all presented in detail at the bargaining table," said Becotte.
"We've said we recognize Saskatchewan is diverse and we want to find a solution that works for all areas of Saskatchewan."
The STF has said it will return to the table if the government agrees to negotiate on these issues or go to binding arbitration on them. The organization also said job action will escalate if the government continues to refuse to negotiate.
Cockrill teases potential 'accountability framework'
Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill told CBC after the budget's release that he continues to believe class complexity and class size are best dealt with by individual school boards.
On Friday, Cockrill released a statement saying he is disappointed with the STF for continuing job action.
"If the union leadership wants teachers to be a part of that process, they need to stop focusing their efforts on disrupting learning and cancelling activities, and start focusing their efforts on bargaining," said Cockrill.
"Not only have we moved on many of the items that the STF has asked for, but we are also prepared to create an accountability framework connected to the historic multi-year funding agreement."
The STF has previously said the funding announced is not good enough, because government could change its mind about it in the future.
Joshua Loveless, who lives in Saskatoon, said he's frustrated with the repeated interruption of his child's schedule by STF job action.
"Over the last few months of this teacher job action, I've had to fairly suddenly tell an employer I have to be away for lunch and there's no aftercare today," Loveless told CBC on Friday.
"I've had a couple construction jobs, like labour jobs … where they are like, 'well man I can't rely on you.'"
Loveless said he understands what teachers are asking for, but wants compassion for parents who have been left in the lurch multiple times.
Becotte said she learned about the province's potential framework proposal while speaking with media on Thursday.
She said teachers need to be a part of any process or framework that is being developed.
"It does provide us a little bit of hope going forward," Becotte said. "There has been a significant amount of trust lost from teachers across the province."
Teachers will withdraw extracurricular support during the four days leading up to spring break — Monday, March 25 to Thursday, March 28.
Meanwhile, teachers won't offer noon-hour supervision at several school associations on Monday. They include:
- All schools in Holy Family Catholic School Division.
- All schools in Holy Trinity Catholic School Division.
- All schools in North East School Division.
- All schools in Prairie Spirit School Division.
- All schools in Saskatchewan Rivers and Prince Albert Catholic school divisions.
- All schools in Living Sky and Light of Christ Catholic school divisions and Sakewew High School (North Battleford).
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With files from Tyreike Reid