By Jacob Miller and Sarah Pacio
Teachers across the province gathered to demonstration sites to demand that the government return to the bargaining table to discuss working and learning conditions in publicly funded schools.
Another job action is planned to begin on Jan. 22, 2024. The details of the action have not been released and will be available no less than 48 hours before the action begins.
Teachers held a one-day teachers strike on Jan. 16, 2024 after the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) and Government of Saskatchewan bargaining committee have not returned to the bargaining table.
The STF says that the government is not willing to bargain on class size and complexity, something that the Conciliation Board said can be bargained on in their report that was released on Jan. 8, 2024.
On Jan. 11 STF announced a five-day countdown to the 16, giving parents and caregivers advanced notice that schools would be closed.
“It is extremely unfortunate that government has pushed this issue to the point that it is now impacting schools,” says STF President Samantha Becotte.
“This is the very last thing any teacher wants to do. Teachers and supporters throughout the province are braving the cold today to advocate for their students and ensure they get the resources they desperately need. This government simply cannot continue to ignore these growing concerns.”
Since teachers announced the five-day countdown to job action on January 11, over 9,400 emails have been sent to Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill and Premier Scott Moe through the Tell Them Tuesday campaign, said the STF.
According to the STF these messages urge the Minister and the Premier to allow government representatives back to the table to engage in meaningful, good faith bargaining.
“We have not heard from government with any willingness to return to the table, but government has certainly heard from us,” says Becotte.
“Thousands of people are demanding better for students and teachers. Public support for teachers and education has been incredible, and deeply appreciated by our members. If we are going to hold government accountable for their responsibility to Saskatchewan’s kids, we need people from all corners of the province to continue sharing their voices. Government will hear us loud and clear: Enough is enough.”
Demonstrations
Demonstrations were held across the province in 34 different communities.
Teachers from Melville and area participated in two demonstrations located in front of the office of MLA for Melville-Saltcoats Warren Kaeding and along Queen Street and between Highway 10 and Prince William Drive.
Teachers from the Prairie Valley School Division (PVSD) participated in the demonstration in Regina in front of the Legislature.
Negotiations
In October 2023, the STF announced that collective bargaining negotiations, which began in May, had reached an impasse and the Teachers’ Bargaining Committee would be filing for conciliation.
The current Collective Bargaining Agreement expired in August 2023. STF wants a new contract to not only include wages and benefits, but also address issues such as class size, class complexity, and violence in the classroom.
Conciliation meetings were held between December 5 and 12, 2023 with the Third Party Conciliation board report releasing on Jan. 8, 2024.
On Jan. 8 the Government of Saskatchewan announced a new “specialized support classroom” program as a response to classroom complexity. The pilot program is intended to help staff “manage and deescalate behavioural incidents.” It includes $3.6 million for supports within eight urban school divisions in North Battleford, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, and Regina. The funding can be accessed from February 2024 to June 2025 and used for “a classroom with specialized supports to help students practice self-regulation skills.” The classroom would be staffed by at least one teacher and two educational assistants, and have capacity for 15 students. The government said the pilot program is “to provide long-term solutions to evaluate targeted intervention methods and increase teacher capacity to manage complex classrooms.”
STF President Becotte responded: “While this is an interesting start, this is far from a long-term commitment and many questions remain. We need a commitment from government through negotiations for sustained, long-term funding supports for all students in the province… A pilot in one percent of Saskatchewan schools is simply inadequate and it’s unfair to expect most kids and families to continue to wait for much-needed supports.”
On January 10 the Government made another announcement with their Teacher Innovation and Support Fund of $2.5 million. From now until the end of the 2024-2025 school year, teachers in the province can apply for funding of “projects that assist in providing better student and teach-er experiences within today’s classrooms.” The fund is intended to support “local, innovative ideas” that improve “student achievement, student and teacher wellness, and school safety.” The application for the new fund notes that “funding is not intended to support additional human resources such as Educational Assistants but could support teacher release time for re-search or professional learning.” This funding is one time.
STF President Becotte was joined by Canadian Teachers’ Federation President Heidi Yetman to hand-deliver over 3,300 letters to the legislative offices of Premier Scott Moe and Minister of Education Jeremy Cockrill.
According to the STF the letters were submitted from teachers and parents across the province, describing critical issues such as class size and complexity, and what the government must do to address them.
“If we improve class composition, we improve learning conditions for students. This is why teachers in Saskatchewan are out on the streets today, to make sure that every student in this province gets the education they deserve. An education that will prepare them for the modern world,” says CTF President Heidi Yetman.
“It astounds me that the Government of Saskatchewan refuses to negotiate workload and class complexity. Collective agreements across this country include language on workload, class sizes and class composition; and yet, the collective agreement in this province contains no such language. This is unacceptable.”
Canadian Taxpayers Federation speaks
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released a press release where they say they highlight the facts on teacher compensation.
“Teachers are already being paid well above the provincial average, with taxpayers topping up their pensions and health plans to boot,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director.
“Now, the teacher’s union is giving parents a headache because it wants to squeeze more money out of the provincial government.”
The CTF says that According to the provincial government, the average teacher in Saskatchewan makes $92,000 a year, compared to $90,300 in the rest of Western Canada. The average Saskatchewanian earns about $61,000 per year.
The CTF adds that schools in the province average 190 school days a year. This means teachers are earning $484 per day for each day they are at work, or about $60 an hour based on a typical eight-hour workday. Teacher salary and benefits made up 50 per cent of total school division spending in 2021.
The provincial government is currently offering the STF a seven per cent salary increase. The STF also wants to negotiate on government spending on other issues, such as class sizes.
“Teachers can’t have their cake and eat it too,” Haubrich said.
“When half of school division budgets are spent paying teachers, it doesn’t leave room for much else.”
NDP supports STF
In a release from the Saskatchewan NDP, Official Opposition Leader Carla Beck said that it is disappointing that the Sask. Party government has yet to bargain on nine out of ten items.
“I think it’s incredibly disappointing that Scott Moe and the Sask. Party government are refusing to get to table and at least try to bargain on nine out of ten items. Everyone could see this strike coming from miles away and the Premier still did nothing to prevent it,” said Beck.
“Other provinces like Ontario and British Columbia worked collaboratively with teachers to avoid strikes. It didn’t have to come to this.”
Beck and her team of Saskatchewan NDP MLAs joined teachers and concerned parents rallying in front of government offices across the province. After nearly a decade of cuts to per-student funding, teachers are negotiating on things like class size and complexity in order to advance student success and wellbeing.
“Scott Moe and the Sask. Party have cut per-student funding for the better part of a decade, and that hurts our kids the most,” said Education Critic Matt Love.
“Addressing class size and complexity will mean more one-on-one time with the teacher and more mental health supports. Our kids deserve every opportunity to grow and thrive.”
