As stalemate drapes the negotiation room, Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) is poised to ballot their members next week for potential job action authorization. While tensions escalate over a negotiating impasse, the teachers’ representative body remains disconcerted with the provincial government’s disregard for key educational issues, including the overgrown class sizes and the intricate demands of students.
In a virtual press briefing held Monday, STF President Samantha Becotte remarked on the government’s rigidity, expressing that educators aim to secure an agreement reached through direct negotiations. “Their continued refusal to engage on the critical issues affecting education is alarming,” said Becotte. She further relayed an unsettling account of a rural Saskatchewan school that has been devoid of an occupational therapist for close to a decade.
The declaration of an impasse legally sets the stage for the teachers’ federation to solicit the services of an intermediary, a course of action they intend to pursue this week, according to the president. “Enlisting a conciliator is our strategy to secure an agreement that not only focuses on remuneration and benefits but also shines a spotlight on the teachers’ work environment,” said Becotte, reiterating a consistent STF mantra that identifies teachers’ working conditions as reflective of students’ learning conditions.
The existing contract binding the union, which became effective through ratification following acrimonious deliberations in 2020, came to a close at the conclusion of August. The prior negotiations were cast aside as the global health crisis of COVID-19 monopolized world focus. A vote on sanctions during those discussions led to the teachers’ withdrawal from voluntary extracurricular activities.
A reminiscent but amplified sentiment of frustration appears to be spreading among teachers. A unanimous message arising from the province-wide educator population, as detailed by Becotte, is claiming “enough is enough.”
Regina-based Minister of Education, Jeremey Cockrill, responded on Monday by portraying the teacher’s federation’s move to declare an impasse as “unfortunate.” He expressed the government’s readiness to finalize an agreement that would serve all students, families, and teachers across the province. Despite asserting that the government is still engaged in negotiations, he also indicated that two fundamental areas – class size and composition – are not open for discussion.
With the sanction vote slated for Oct. 24 and 25, teachers’ frustrations also spilled into the streets of Moose Jaw over the weekend, where the federation orchestrated a protest. Further demonstrations are lined up in North Battleford and Humboldt, capped off with a rallying cry from Becotte in defense of the federation’s position.
