Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill says the Government Trustee Bargaining Committee had two new commitments in its negotiations with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, and yet, according to Cockrill, the STF walked away after 30 minutes. The President of the STF says that’s not the case.

Cockrill says they made two new commitments. “One, the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee made a new offer around teachers’ salaries and two, outside of the contract, government has put forward a commitment around classroom composition.” It was a Memorandum of Understanding about funding outside the contract for classroom size and complexity.

The same salary deal as MLAs get was in the offer along with workplace safety enhancements and being able to manage their own dental plan. He adds that the province remains at the table and is ready to negotiate, but, he says, bargaining requires both sides to be at the table, and the STF chose to walk away.