Sask. teachers inch towards job action as negotiations falter
The union representing Saskatchewan teachers plans to head back to the bargaining table armed with the findings of a third-party conciliation board — but there may not be much to discuss.
The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation requested a Ministry of Labour conciliator, after declaring an impasse in October, meaning the union felt there was no way forward in its negotiations with the province.
A main sticking point during the union's talks with the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee (GTBC) has been the STF's desire to negotiate on issues such as class size and complexity.
However, the bargaining committee, which represents the provincial government and Saskatchewan's elected school boards, has insisted that negotiations stay focused on salary and benefits.
During a news conference on Monday, STF president Samantha Becotte said the union had just received a report from the conciliation panel that concluded "teachers have a right to negotiate their working conditions."
"As we have been saying, teachers' working conditions are students' learning conditions," Becotte said.
"Most recently, teachers in Quebec and Ontario have reached tentative agreements that include articles on class complexity. So this topic isn't new."
However, any hopes of a thaw at the bargaining table may be shortlived.
In a statement sent to CTV News Monday, the GTBC reiterated that it is only willing to discuss matters of compensation with the union.
The committee also disagreed with the union's interpretation of the conciliator's report.
"The GTBC also notes that the conciliation board did not recommend class size and composition be included as a part of the bargaining discussions," the statement said.
In its statement, the committee also pointed to a new pilot project announced Monday by the government.
The $3.6 million program will see a "specialized support classroom" established in eight urban elementary schools, with up to 15 students.
The classrooms will have a minimum of one teacher and two educational assistants and students could be assisted by psychologists and counsellors.
Becotte said the idea is an "interesting solution" while also questioning the government's intentions.
"This is government's way of attempting to yet again sidestep our collective bargaining process instead of coming to the table in good faith, addressing the concerns that teachers have," Becotte said.
"It is a clear admission by government that they agree class complexity is increasing and needs to be addressed ... unfortunately this pilot project is only planned for eight urban elementary schools, which accounts for approximately one per cent of the students in Saskatchewan."
Following the declared impasse last year, the STF held a vote to authorize potential job action, up to and including a strike. Ninety per cent of members took part, with 95 per cent voting in favour.
"We need government to engage in bargaining in good faith and we are trying to provide them every opportunity. We are showing them a path forward that they could take in this process to help us avoid any potential actions," Becotte said.
"But if we do have to take that action, it is solely in the hands of government and the refusal to come to the table in good faith and negotiate with teachers around these big issues."
At the same time, the government bargaining committee accuses the STF of refusing to sit down and talk.
"We continue to call on the STF to return to the bargaining table so that negotiations can continue where we can reach a fair deal with teachers while keeping students in the classroom," the GTBC said.
But Becotte claims it is the government that isn't willing to bargain.
"We can't just go back to the table and continue to hear 'no' and 'no' and 'no,' (to) not have a mandate to actually engage in real negotiations. So we're hopeful that that can happen," Becotte said.
The STF's most recent contract expired in August. It was signed in 2020 after rocky negotiations that saw teachers withdraw from voluntary extracurricular activities.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Flammable kids' sleepwear, salmonella-contaminated chips: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued recalls for various items this week, including kids' bassinets, chips, and stoves. Here's what to watch out for.
The secret Italian lakes that most tourists don't know about
Italy has dozens of secret smaller lakes that boast superb scenery, unknown to mass tourism, where locals get together on day trips and enjoy picnics.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
Oilers dominate Canucks, win to force deciding Game 7
The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination from the NHL playoffs Saturday night, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
From DVDs to rehearsals: Halifax theatre company transforms Video Difference building into arts hub
2b Theatre recently moved into the old Video Difference building, seeking to transform it into an artistic hub, meeting space, and temporary housing unit for visiting performers in Halifax.