Sask. Teachers' Fed to vote on implementing job-related sanctions

Saskatchewan teachers will soon vote on whether to allow job action now that conciliation between themselves and the government and school boards is over.

The vote will take place on Feb. 10 and 11 to determine job action, which could range from no action to full-blown walkouts, said Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation president Patrick Maze

"If members say there is strong appetite to move this forward and to give their bargaining team the ability to apply sanctions...that in itself can be taken as a strong message to government," he said. 

The STF and the government-trustee bargaining committee, which represents the government and school boards in the province, reached an impasse in bargaining in November 2019.

Conciliation between the two groups took place in an attempt to move past the impasse, but the STF said the government wasn't willing to negotiate class complexity or move from its original salary offer, which are both major issues for the STF. 

"We've gone through nine months negotiating and then four days of conciliation and none of that has resulted in a contract that's acceptable for members," he said.

Saskatchewan's education ministry has said it won't discuss class-size and composition at the bargaining table. Minister Gord Wyant said the issue is "greater than the STF."

However, the province says it's committed to addressing the issue by forming a committee to examine classroom size and composition.

"I have heard from parents, teachers and staff that our classrooms are more complex than ever," Wyant said in a press release.  "I look forward to the work of this committee helping to develop solutions to guide class size and composition planning in our schools."

Previously, Wyant said he wants to ensure all of the province's education partners are involved in the conversations on how to deal with the "significant issue." 

On Thursday, a statement from Minister Wyant said he felt some progress was being made between the two parties and that the ministry values "the important role of teachers, respect the bargaining process and will continue to bargain in good faith."

However, Maze said the STF feels the government has "stacked" the committee. Many people on the committee also sit at the bargaining table. 

The two parties have committed to releasing updates as the bargaining process unfolds, which is considered a rare move as contract negotiations usually take place behind closed doors.

In its offer, the provincial bargaining committee put forward a three-year deal that would see teachers get a one-time $1,500 payment per full-time teacher in 2019-20, and an annual two per cent salary increase over the next two years.

The union is asking for smaller class sizes, a three-year agreement with a two per cent salary increase in 2019-20, increases of three per cent in 2020-21 and three per cent in 2021-22, and a contract of employment for substitute teachers.

The STF, which represents more than 13,000 teachers in the province, has been without a contract since Aug. 31, 2019.

Results of the vote are expected by late February.