Cockrill says ratified deal is best for students as teachers vote on offer

Over the next two days, teachers in Saskatchewan will vote on whether to accept or reject a contract offer from the provincial government.

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation agreed to take the offer to its membership for a vote in mid-April.

The offer includes an eight per cent wage increase over a three-year contract, but doesn’t include any measures to address issues with class size and complexity, instead referring to an agreement that was signed between the government and school boards guaranteeing operational funding to help deal with those issues.

Ahead of the teachers’ vote, Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill called the offer a fair one, and said he hopes the vote results will provide some predictability for children and families.

“When you think about what is going to be best for the rest of the school year and for the children in the 700-some schools around the province, I think a ratified deal that provides predictability for the rest of the year is going to be important,” said Cockrill.

The minister is still calling the offer a tentative agreement, though the union has referred to it as a “final offer” from the government.

Federation president Samantha Becotte said agreements come from collaboration, and there was no collaboration on the development of this offer.

When asked if this is indeed the final offer from the government’s bargaining committee, Cockrill wouldn’t say.

Asked about possibly going to arbitration if teachers reject the offer, Cockrill said he’s hopeful that whatever the result of the vote, the two sides can get a deal done at the bargaining table.