Sask. teachers overwhelmingly reject proposed deal, calling it a 'disservice to students'

Saskatchewan teachers have overwhelmingly voted “no” to a proposed deal that would have marked the end of a nearly year-long labour dispute.

Saskatchewan teachers have overwhelmingly voted “no” to a proposed deal that would have marked the end of a nearly year-long labour dispute.

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) says 92.2 per cent of members voted, with 90 per cent of those voting no. 

“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 a news release sent on Thursday evening. 

According to the release, the Teachers' Bargaining Committee extended an invitation to the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee (GTBC) to return to the negotiating table on May 13 and 14. If the GTBC accepts the invitation, teachers "will not immediately recommence sanctions."

“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 in the release. 

The STF has said the proposed deal was presented as a “final offer” while the province classified it as a “tentative agreement.”

The deal would have seen an eight per cent pay increase over three years, three per cent in the first two years and two per cent in the final year of the deal – with pay retroactive to September 2023.