Just over 90 per cent of teachers voted in favour of sanctions and there was a 96.6 per cent turnout in the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation vote. President Patrick Maze says chronic under funding has created a crisis in Saskatchewan schools.
The STF is meeting with Education Minister Gord Wyant and the Saskatchewan School Boards Association Tuesday to discuss steps that could be implemented immediately to support students and teachers in the classroom. One of the sticking points is class complexity, with students of varying needs. The province doesn’t want to discuss the issue as part of a collective agreement, but Maze says there is nothing from preventing it from being negotiated other than lack of political will.
The vote in favour of sanctions provides the Teachers’ Bargaining Committee the authority to implement sanctions, however it isn’t bound to.
Maze says if the decision is to have more severe sanctions like a walkout or a withdrawal of service, there would be 48 hours notice so parents and school divisions are prepared.
The Deputy Minister of Education, Rob Currie, says the results of the sanctions vote from the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation do not change the approach to bargaining – the government will continue to bargain in good faith. As per the conciliator’s recommendation, the Minister of Education is meeting with the Saskatchewan School Boards Association and the STF tomorrow (Tues) morning to discuss class size and composition. Currie says the government bargaining committee has invited the teachers’ bargaining committee back to the table to negotiate an agreement.
NDP Education critic Carla Beck is worried there is a potential that job action from STF members could turn into a strike. She says voting 90 per cent in favour of sanctions shows that people want to take action when their concerns are not being addressed. In this case it’s class size and composition.
Beck says the ball is now in Education minister Gord Wyant’s court to avert a strike. She hopes the minister will listen to the concerns of the teachers and show a willingness to address the issues, because no one wants a strike. The Saskatchewan NDP says they are committed to hiring enough teachers and educational assistants so that no kindergarten to grade 3 classroom in Saskatchewan will have more than 24 kids.
