Post-secondary educators show support for STF job action and bargaining fight

Educators in the post-secondary system are siding with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation in decrying the lack of funding going towards Saskatchewan’s education.

Geraldine Balzer, chairperson of the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association, Britt Hall, president of the University of Regina Faculty Association and Bill Grosskleg, president of the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Faculty Association spoke alongside Samantha Becotte, president of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, saying that provincial funding has been ineffective and unpredictable.

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The lack of long-term funding from the provincial government has been criticized by Saskatchewan teachers as it does not allow for long-term planning.

“USFA fully supports the STF in their job action. Their students are, and will be, our students,” Balzer said.

“We all thrive only with stable and adequate public funding. The chronic lack of priority for education puts Saskatchewan kids at a disadvantage, from elementary school to post-secondary institutions, and to the workforce both in this province and on the world stage.”

“We’re seeing a vast failure of imagination from this government – Saskatchewan could have the world’s best public education system, with meaningful investments at every level, that not only support the students we have but also attract learners from across the world to study, research and contribute here,” Hall said.

“In order for today’s students to succeed, they need the proper supports in place, which include adequate funding and resources. Education needs to be prioritized at every level in Saskatchewan in order to have a workforce that is prepared for our ever-changing world. As a province, we should be working together in this endeavor,” Grosskleg said.

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The Sask. Party government has made it clear that it wants to deal with issues that the STF has brought up like classroom size and complexity outside of the bargaining process, but Becotte said they need these issues addressed in a collective bargaining agreement to hold the government accountable.

Becotte has said they’ve brought forward plans to create a minimum standard of supports for classroom size and complexity across the province, but the provincial government has said that falls under school board responsibilities.

“If this government truly wanted to invest in the future of our province they would make education a priority with long-term funding that can’t be unilaterally withdrawn or reduced, where there is accountability that ensures the funding is directed to supports for students,” Becotte said.

She added that five provinces in the country have agreements with teacher organizations around things like classroom size and complexity.

Saskatchewan education minister Jeremy Cockrill said the provincial budget is being announced on March 20 and people will see how the province is further supporting education.

Cockrill claimed that the teachers’ union leadership needs to be at the bargaining table and that they’ve only been there a half hour over the past five months.

“We can’t get a deal done that way,” Cockrill said.

The STF has said it would go back to the bargaining table once the province comes to them with an updated mandate to discuss classroom size and complexity.

Cockrill claims that the province has moved from its initial position to meet the demands brought to it by the STF, but added that there were still some areas where they’ve disagreed on things.

He pointed to pilot projects and in-year funding for school divisions, saying that they are listening to school boards on issues they are facing.