Saskatchewan teachers say they will be escalating their job action despite an announcement by the premier to make the “largest increase in school operating funding ever in Saskatchewan’s history.”
Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) president Samantha Becotte said the decision by Premier Scott Moe to pre-empt the March 20 provincial budget in a social media video on Wednesday was a “stunt.”
Becotte maintained that the organization’s members will not return to the bargaining table unless the province is willing to address the issue of class complexity and class size in a new contract.
“There is a path that we can get past this. Unfortunately, a one-year investment can be clawed back and we have seen that happen before,” Becotte said.
Becotte said teachers will not pause their job action — a request floated by Moe — and will actually do more, but didn’t spell out on Thursday what actions will be taken or when they would occur.
Moe provided a simple answer when asked to respond to that on Thursday.
“That’s their choice. It’s disappointing, very disappointing,” said Moe.
Teachers have been without a contract since August and have been carrying out rotating one-day strikes and withdrawals of services since the start of the year.
The latest job action is slated for Friday, with teachers to withdraw from noon-hour supervision in some areas of the province, including Saskatoon and Regina. There have also been periodic disruptions to extracurricular activities.
Teachers are picketing once again as part of rotating strikes. This time teachers in Regina took to the legislative building for their demands to be heard. CBC’s Tyreike Reid has more.
Moe announced on Wednesday that the upcoming budget will contain an increase of $180 million in education funding from last year, to a total of $2.2 billion. Of the $180 million, $45 million would be dedicated to classroom supports.
On Thursday, Moe told media that the funding for classroom supports would not decrease “as long as we are the government.”
“I can’t tell you what’s going to be in the budget next year. There’s a lot of things that will happen, but if the Saskatchewan Party is the government next year, that number is not going to decrease,” Moe said.
The leader of the Official Opposition said on Thursday that the disintegration of the relationship between the STF and the province is all on the government.
“The dollar amount almost is secondary to the fact that no one trusts their numbers. No one trusts that they’re going to do what they say they’re going to do in education,” said NDP Leader Carla Beck.
As an example of how things are growing worse, the STF floated an allegation that there are secret talks between the Ministry of Education and the Saskatchewan School Boards Association to create a memorandum of understanding around class complexity.
The STF said that would undercut their collective bargaining rights.
When asked to respond, Premier Moe appeared to confirm those talks are happening.
“The STF may disagree with this, and that’s unfortunate. But any conversations around class complexity, and funding and class complexity, we’ve been very clear that is going to happen at the divisional level,” Moe said.
The current impasse means there is an increasing concern from some parents, guardians and students that significant events or trips could be affected by more job action.
Aaliyah Ulriksen, a Grade 10 student in Saskatoon, said her school badminton league just started and her jazz band is scheduled to take two trips in the coming weeks.
Ulriksen, 15, said she understands the need for teachers to fight for a fair contract, but hopes these activities won’t be affected.
“I was so excited to go on these trips, and now hearing that they might be cancelled is really, really sad. I think that a lot of people would really be disappointed if they got cancelled,” Ulriksen, said.
Ulriksen’s mother, Amber Thomas, said she sees how hard teachers work.
She still holds out hope that the two sides can reach a deal without affecting students too much.
“[Any disruption] definitely affects my daughter in her social skills. She’s really active and likes being around her friends. High school is a big part of that,” Thomas said.
