Teachers in Saskatchewan have overwhelmingly rejected what government negotiators described as a “final offer” for a new province-wide collective agreement. The vote results were announced on the evening of 09 May 2024. Ninety percent of those casting ballots chose to reject the offer. Here’s a link to the news conference Samantha Becotte had on the morning after the vote results were announced:
President Becotte said solving this impasse “doesn’t have to be this hard”. All it requires is government to find the political will to make K-12 education a priority. Since 2016, Saskatchewan has slipped from first place in the nation to eighth place in terms of inflation adjusted per student operating funding. And there is every likelihood the province may slip to last place, following the 2024-25 provincial budget. Some school divisions have already stated there are insufficient funds available this year to even maintain existing services. The reason is clear: In the past decade, Saskatchewan’s education sector has been hit by funding cuts, grants that have not increased at the rate of inflation and significant enrolment increases. That has resulted in acute pressure in classrooms.
stf.sk.ca
The sticking point in negotiations has been Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill’s repeated refusal to include provisions in a new collective agreement respecting student learning conditions and teacher working conditions–more specifically, provisions that would help solve problems related to large class sizes and the increasingly complex needs presented by students in contemporary classrooms.
During consultations prior to the start of negotiations–all the way through to the most recent vote, Saskatchewan teachers have made it abundantly clear solving these important issues is a key priority. The most recent example of how this is possible comes from Nova Scotia: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/tentative-contract-nova-scotia-teachers-1.7190964
However, in a media interview on the morning after the vote, Cockrill didn’t seem to budge when asked if the overwhelming “no” vote by teachers would cause him and his government to “rethink their position”:
“I’ve been clear right from the start: class size, complexity — that does not belong in the provincial agreement. That continues to be the government’s position.”
Evan Bray Show, 10 May 2024 ckom.com
And when asked directly if government had ruled out the possibility of back-to-work legislation, Cockrill seemed less than categorical:
“Now, I suppose Evan that would be a possibility. That’s not somewhere we want to go, though. I’ve been clear all throughout the process–every time I’ve had an opportunity to talk to you. you know, the best place to get an agreement is going to be at the bargaining table. That’s really where we want to get to.
Evan Bray Show 10 May 2024
Obviously at the end of the day, we do ensure, you know, predictability and stability for education in the province. We’re looking for options around how we ensure that. The first priority is getting back to the bargaining table.” (emphasis added)
The entire interview can be found at the link below. The section on back-to-work legislation can be found at the 9:30 mark.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has been even more explicit in his language, framing the STF’s bargaining request as an attempt to get government to hand over authority for education spending to the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation:
So, where does this all land and what happens next? In order to make headway at the bargaining table, one side or the other will have to alter their position on a set of fundamental issues: class size and classroom complexity. With a 90 percent “no” vote, teachers seem to have made their voices heard loudly and clearly.
And for the record, these opinions represent my own views as an interested observer. This post does not represent the official position of the STF’s Teacher’s Bargaining Committee.
Ian Hanna 