Sask. Teachers' Federation announces another week of job action

CBC
·2 min read
Saskatchewan teachers and supporters rallied outside the Saskatchewan Legislature on Wednesday as teachers held a one-day strike on the same day as the provincial budget. (Sacha-Wilky Merazil/CBC - image credit)
Saskatchewan teachers and supporters rallied outside the Saskatchewan Legislature on Wednesday as teachers held a one-day strike on the same day as the provincial budget. (Sacha-Wilky Merazil/CBC - image credit)

The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) has announced more job action for next week, including withdrawals of extracurricular support provincewide and noon-hour supervision in some divisions.

Saskatchewan teachers have been without a contract since August. Bargaining on a new contract remains at a standstill as both sides refuse to budge on the issues of class size and complexity.

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 government has remained adamant that these issues should be dealt with at the school board level, not in the teachers' contract.

The STF said Friday that 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 Skewed High School (North Battleford).

The STF said job action will escalate if the government continues to refuse to negotiate class size and complexity.

"This is the longest-ever job action by Saskatchewan teachers, but we would halt sanctions immediately if government would either agree to binding arbitration on the single issue of class size and complexity or provide the government-trustee bargaining committee with a mandate that includes that issue," the union said in a news release on Friday.

Minister of Education Jeremy Cockrill said he is disappointed with the STF.

"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," Cockrill said.

"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."