STF says it turned down invitation to resume bargaining as teacher strikes resume

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation says it has turned down an invitation from the provincial government to resume negotiations.

Talks between the groups broke down this week after two days of planned negotiations on Monday and Tuesday. As a result, teachers will resume rotating strikes on Friday, along with a provincewide withdrawal of lunch-hour supervision.

In a statement, union president Samantha Becotte said the federation turned down the offer because the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee (GTBC) said it hadn’t been given a new bargaining mandate.

Samantha Becotte, president of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, says the union turned down an offer to resume bargaining as the government committee hadn’t received a new mandate. (Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation/Twitter)

Becotte said she took issue with comments from Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill in which he said the union isn’t ready to talk about the issues on the table.

“Teachers want to be at the bargaining table and making progress toward an agreement,” Becotte said in the statement.

“However, the Minister’s statement leads us to believe there’s no value in meeting if the GTBC isn’t ready to discuss issues that are important to teachers. When the GTBC has a new mandate and is prepared to discuss all of the issues, including class size and complexity, we are ready to return day or night.”

The primary sticking points in negotiations have been salary, as well as class size and classroom complexity – the number of students who require additional support.

The rotating strikes Friday are set for schools in the Saskatchewan Rivers, Prince Albert Catholic, Living Sky and Light of Christ school divisions, and at Sakewew High School in North Battleford, École St Isidore De Bellevue in Prince Albert, École Valois in Prince Albert, École Père Mercure in North Battleford, and the Saskatchewan Distance Learning Corporation’s North Central Campus in Prince Albert.

School divisions in Saskatoon and Regina have announced their plans to accommodate the withdrawal of lunch-hour supervision.

STF says sanctions will escalate

In a statement later Friday morning, the teachers’ union said people and the government should expect an escalation of job sanctions after classes resume on Feb. 26. There isn’t any school next week.

The STF said it will provide at least 48 hours notice before launching any further job action.

“Government has doubled down on misleading the public, distracting from the serious issues facing students and refusing good faith negotiations,” Becotte said. “Their behaviour is deeply disrespectful to students and families, the collective bargaining process and the 13,500 teachers of this province.

“Unless they are willing to return to the table and actually negotiate, we have no choice but to continue using the tools available to us to hold them accountable. We know that this is a difficult and stressful situation for families. We want to give them as much notice as we can so that families can prepare. If you are tired of this, as we are, please call your local school board trustee and MLA to voice your concerns.”