Saskatchewan teachers voted against what the province called its “final offer” for a provincial collective bargaining agreement.
A release from the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation said 90 per cent of voters opposed the offer put forward by the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee, with 92.2 per cent of members members casting their vote on Wednesday and Thursday.
This was first time Saskatchewan teachers voted on a tentative agreement since declaring an impasse in October 2023 and started job action in January.
“The message to government and the Saskatchewan School Boards Association is crystal clear: their so-called ‘final offer’ is unacceptable and does a disservice to students and teachers,” STF President Samantha Becotte said in the release.
“This vote tells students, families and our Teachers’ Bargaining Committee that teachers are deeply committed to securing a sustainable future for publicly funded schools and for the supports our students desperately need in classrooms.”
The STF said the Teachers’ Bargaining Committee has extended an invitation to the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee to return to the negotiating table with a new mandate on May 13 and 14. Teachers will not immediately recommence sanctions, as they expect the invitation to be accepted and to return to the bargaining table.
“We need a deal that guarantees the government’s full, unwavering commitment to the future of public schools beyond the election cycle. Anything less is untenable,” Becotte said, adding the province seems to disregard the “largest job sanctions ever undertaken by Saskatchewan teachers.”
In an emailed statement, Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said he is disappointed by the results of the vote. He said the best deal will be reached at the bargaining table.
“Both sides should immediately agree to return to the table and avoid any further sanctions that could jeopardize instructional time and important milestone events for Saskatchewan students.”
In an emailed statement, Official Opposition Leader Carla Beck said the rejection sends a message to premier Scott Moe’s government, “he failed our education system and it’s time for a change.”
In April the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee (GTBC) presented its final offer to teachers. The three-year agreement included Salary increases of three per cent in year one, three per cent in year two and two per cent in year three with retroactive pay to September 2023, and reference to the accountability framework in relation to a Memorandum of Understanding among the three parties.
At the time, the committee said the agreement provides stability to the education sector and enhancements to teachers’ benefits package, and includes an accountability framework.
The STF had said it saw little to no movement from the government during the most recent bargaining talks but stated it would remain neutral and be “bringing the facts” to teachers before the voting process. STF president Samantha Becotte said there were only slight improvements compared with the previous offer, but noted salary has barely increased and it doesn’t address the teachers’ loss of purchasing power.
Contract negotiations between the STF and the province started in May 2023, before coming to a head in January 2024 when teachers began to strike, demanding a better offer.
Throughout negotiations, the STF has said issues like classroom size and complexity need to be addressed within the contract.
Multiple one-day strikes took place after negotiations fell through, before rotating strikes, cutting lunchroom supervision, extracurriculars and work to rule.
Recently the minister of education Jeremy Cockrill announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was offered to teachers with support from the Saskatchewan School Boards Association, but STF said the government wouldn’t make it binding.
Cockrill said all parties would work together to create an accountability framework for the multi-year funding agreement that was signed between the SSBA and the education ministry earlier this year.
Becotte said the accountability framework is one of the improvements in the offer from the GTBC this week and that the dollars in the multi-year funding agreement will help address the challenges of classroom size and complexity.
Becotte said on Thursday that she will address the media Friday morning about the results of the vote.
– With files from Global News’ Andrew Benson and Brody Langager.