The President of the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation believes the government’s announcement of funding for a specialized support classroom in eight urban school divisions is an admission that there is an issue, but Samantha Becotte adds that there are only eight classrooms in this pilot project and complexity issues are faced all across the province, not just in the larger urban centres.

Classroom size and complexity is one of the sticking points in the bargaining between the STF and the province. Becotte says the conciliation report released today agrees with what teachers have been saying for the past ten years – that they have a right to negotiate their working conditions. She stresses that teachers’ working conditions are their students’ learning conditions.

Becotte adds that the conciliation report had no recommendations on a few issues where the two sides were too far apart. They include salaries, substitute teacher working conditions and conditions of employment. The President of the STF says the government hasn’t budged from their original salary proposal since negotiations began back in May.

She urges the government to provide a renewed mandate so they can get back to bargaining in good faith. If that doesn’t happen, the STF may impose sanctions, which could include withdrawal from extracurricular activities, work to rule, a teacher walkout or a strike.