STF, Government of Saskatchewan begin binding arbitration

The binding arbitration process between Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF) and the provincial government began Monday after more than a year and a half of contract negotiations and job action.

In June, both STF and the province formally announced that both sides will go ahead with binding arbitration after deliberations failed.

Proceedings are currently underway in Saskatoon and are scheduled to run until Dec. 20.

Talks first began in May of 2023 and deliberations have been tense.

Negotiations surrounding compensation, class size and complexity broke down, and since then varying levels of job action was taken including strikes back in January.

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While tentative agreements were reached throughout the year, STF membership voted each one down.

University of Regina labour expert, Andrew Stevens, says this process can be a technical affair.

“This could unfold over a period of weeks or months and so I think the tradeoff that the teachers made for withdrawing their militancy which was growing, was to defer this matter to a far more adjudicative, peaceful affair which is arbitration,” said Stevens.

The hearing will focus on two key issues: wages and a class complexity-accountability framework.

There are three mediators involved in this process, one appointed by STF, one appointed by the Government of Saskatchewan and a neutral third party. They will work together to create a legally-binding decision made will make up the next collective bargaining agreement.

Stevens adds the process could draw on other comparative agreements made in Canada as part of the evidence presented.

“We know that these matters have been negotiated, they’ve been negotiated successfully, and they’ve been included in some measure into collective agreements, so what the teachers are proposing is not all that outlandish,” said Stevens.

Stevens said that with the amount of information that may be presented by both sides, a contract will most likely not be seen until sometime in 2025.

–with files from Gates Guarin, Global News