The Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF) is accusing the Northern Lights School Division (NLSD) of attempting to undermine the bargaining process with their teachers, and the STF has responded by placing the Northern Lights School Division “in dispute.”

The Northern Area Teachers’ Association (NATA) and Northern Lights recently reached an impasse while trying to agree on local benefits and working conditions in a new contract. The Saskatchewan Teachers Federation says Northern Lights Director of Education, Jason Young, circumvented the negotiating process by communicating the terms of a memorandum of understanding, which was not negotiated at the bargaining table, directly to all of the school division’s teachers.

The STF says what Young did amounts to interfering in good faith collective bargaining, is an unfair labour practice and an abuse of his power. In placing the Northern Lights School Division, “in dispute”, it’s the first time the STF has taken such a step since 2002 and for only the 14th time since 1961.