A conciliation board released a report on Monday, analyzing five days of discussion between the Saskatchewan teachers’ board committee and the government, as educators fight for higher salaries and smaller classrooms.
The report from the conciliation board stated that the provincial government could choose to bargain class size and complexity with teachers but might not be obligated to do so.
“Teachers’ working conditions are our students’ learning conditions,” said Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation president Samantha Becotte.
She said articles revolving around class complexity have been a part of agreements with teachers in other provinces.
In October, teachers voted in favour of job sanctions should the government continue to refuse demands from the union.
In response, teachers sought conciliation in hopes an agreement could be made.
The Teachers’ Board Committee (TBC) would like to see a four-year agreement, arguing that a four-year term would allow education board to improve the state of public education and provide long-term stability.
Class size and complexity is “without a doubt, the most significant issue to be resolved for the TBC,” according to the conciliation board.
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Saskatchewan teachers have asked the government to implement policies to ensure there is enough staff to meet the needs of students, address overcrowding in classrooms, and to create school-based committees to address issues of class complexity.
According to the conciliation board, the teachers’ union presented statistics showing a drop in per student funding in the province, coupled with increasing enrolments.
The pair inevitably increases pressure on the school system and workloads on teachers.
“The Government Trustee Board Committee (GTBC), given the mandate to do so, could choose to bargain class size and complexity… The real debate is whether it is obligated to do so,” read the conciliation report.
The GTBC has said that class size and composition remains outside of the bargaining mandate and under the responsibility of boards of education.
“Although the Ministry of Education remains prepared to discuss and to continue to try to address the matter of class size and composition (and says that such discussions are already happening in other fora), the GTBC is not prepared to include any such mechanisms,” read the report.
After sitting in on discussions, the conciliation board found that both parties agree class size and complexity are ongoing challenges, but they can’t agree on how the manner should be dealt with — either at the bargaining table or outside of it.
“The Board is not prepared to make a recommendation in that regard. It is far too complicated a matter, involving legal arguments of statutory interpretation and Charter principles,” read the report.
“In the absence of any agreement on class size and composition, the STF will have to consider what measures might be available to it to bring the matter to a head.”
The board didn’t make any recommendations as to teacher salaries.
“The parties may be able to find more common ground as public sector bargaining advances and wage settlements,” the board said.
The government said its bargaining committee will continue to discuss salary and benefits as per the provincial teacher collective agreement.
It also noted that the conciliation board did not recommend class size and composition be involved as part of discussions.
“The Government of Saskatchewan remains committed to working with education stakeholders in addressing important issues like classroom composition, as shown with today’s new specialized support classroom pilot, outside of the bargaining process,” read a statement from the province.
Earlier on Monday, the province announced funding for a pilot program for specialized support classrooms in eight Saskatchewan elementary schools.
Becotte said it isn’t enough.
“The government refused to move from their opening positions or even entertain negotiating about critical learning and working conditions that impact students, teachers and parents – issues like class size and classroom violence,” Becotte said after the report was released.
“Our sincere hope is that government will read this report, take its recommendations, and return to the table with a mandate to negotiate before their intransigence impacts the school year.”
The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation has said 48 hours’ notice will be given prior to any strikes.
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