Education Minister Gord Wyant has in the past said that there would be no discussions about class size and composition in contract talks with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, but has now partially changed his mind. He suggests the issues are too complex for the bargaining table and instead the discussion needs to involve teachers, school boards, senior administrators, and other stakeholders.

The STF is encouraged by this decision but President Patrick Maze believes the work should be part of the Provincial Collective Bargaining Agreement to ensure accountability. Maze would also like more specifics on how the provincial team would function, what its mandate would be and how it would be held accountable to a positive impact in classrooms.

At the bargaining table, the government bargaining committee proposed a one-time $1500 teacher payment. The STF suggested the government matching the amount and redirect the total to a new, jointly managed fund dedicated to addressing classroom challenges.