With most Saskatchewan teachers in favour of job action because of the deteriorating relationship with the provincial government, Prairie South School Division is reviewing its options should a strike occur.
During the Nov. 7 board meeting, vice-chairwoman Darcy Pryor told trustees that the division’s human resources committee met recently and reviewed the Saskatchewan School Boards Association’s contingency planning document for job action.
This material advises on what role the board and director of education would play, along with guidelines and a communications plan.
In mid-October, the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) held a vote among its members about whether to pursue job actions because of an “impasse” in contract negotiations with the province. The union claimed the provincial government was “refusing to negotiate” on issues such as class sizes and the increasing needs of students.
STF president Samantha Becotte revealed during a late-October meeting that 90 per cent of federation members participated in the vote and 95 per cent voted in favour of potential job actions — up to and including a strike.
The authorization remains in place until June 30, 2024.
Contract negotiations between the STF and the province began in August and sought to define a new collective agreement for teachers.
According to Becotte, the most recent round of talks ended with the province’s government-trustee bargaining committee refusing to budge on issues the membership says are important, such as classroom complexity. The union then declared an impasse at the table and said it would file for conciliation.
In entering conciliation, per the Saskatchewan Employment Act, a third-party negotiator will be appointed to mediate between parties, with the goal of aiding a negotiated settlement.
“The government is leaving us no other option. We’ve met nine times and there has been no significant movement on issues that are important to teachers, students and families,” Becotte said.
“We always want to reach an agreement through negotiations. And we will return to the table, day or night, any time the government is prepared to actually negotiate. But as it stands today, this is pointless.”
Becotte noted that some items of contention are compensation and benefits, as well as teachers’ working conditions, classroom complexity and the lack of support for students.
“I am concerned because we have seen over the last number of years how important it is for our children to be learning in the classroom, for our children to be participating in important extracurricular activities, whether that be sports or music or arts,” he said.
“That is vitally important that our teachers are able to do the good work that they do, continue to do that, and that our children have the opportunity to learn and to grow and develop in schools.
“… our government is at the bargaining table. We’re ready to get a deal done with teachers. What we put forward, we believe, is a fair deal with teachers,” he continued.
“It was disappointing with the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation leadership walking away from the bargaining table … , but I’ve been clear with Ms. Becotte, we’ve been clear with the Teachers Federation.
“We are ready to bargain,” Cockrill added. “We want to have a fair deal that provides certainty and predictability for our families for students for teachers in this province.”
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