With possible sanctions coming after the province’s teachers union declared an impasse with the provincial government over a new contract, the Minister of Education and the President of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation are just as far apart as the two sides are at the bargaining table.
STF is expected to announce the results of a vote on sanctions from teachers at some point this week. Those sanctions have previously included rotating strikes and cutting voluntary extracurricular activities such as coaching sports.
While STF has claimed the government has refused to move from its opening position, Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said the province is ready to negotiate.
“I’m concerned by the strike vote that the union leadership is leading,” he said in a video posted on social media. “The intention of this strike vote is to jeopardize those in class and extracurricular activities from happening within our schools. We’ve been clear that we are at the bargaining table with a fair deal for teachers.”
“We are ready to continue bargaining because we want to ensure predictability for teachers, for families, and for students across our province,” he continued. “We want to ensure that teachers can continue to do what they do best and our children can continue learning in the classroom. Competing on the field and developing their talents and skills,” he continued.
Cockrill added that a growing province means more students and more investment.
Samantha Becotte, the president of the STF, said that investment should focus on teachers and their concerns.
“It’s unfortunate that we’ve gotten to this place after months of negotiations,” she said in her own video on social media. “This government has not moved from their opening proposals at the bargaining table. Is not true negotiations.”
“The Minister of Education chooses to villainize teachers and disrespect them through billboards and videos saying that they want to negotiate a deal with teachers at the table. Well, actions speak louder than words, and we know that that is not true. This government continues to avoid the real problems that teachers have been raising over the past decade, and we have had enough.”
Becotte said the vote is to say teachers need to start seeing classroom solutions.
Becotte said the vote is to make a point that teachers need to start seeing classroom solutions.
“Solutions for increasing class sizes, more students with more intensive needs, without the supports that they deserve, and increasing violence in our classroom. Enough is enough. It’s time for this government to come to the table ready to negotiate a deal and ready to work with us to find solutions.”
While two sides seemed far apart just days ago, Cockrill and Becotte were seen talking for some time after the Throne Speech on Wednesday.
