Sask. teachers' union declares bargaining impasse, says gov't refuses to address 'pressing issues'

The union representing teachers in Saskatchewan said it is declaring an impasse in contract negotiations, saying the provincial government's bargaining team has refused to address educators' main concerns. 

"We do not want to be in this position, but government's disrespect toward teachers, their bad faith bargaining tactics and their intransigence — not just through the bargaining process, but their continued refusal to make students and public education a priority — has forced us into our current path,"  said Samantha Becotte, president of the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF.) 

The STF held a virtual news conference on Monday and said the government is unwilling to bargain on nine out of 10 teacher proposals.

"We have had nine days at the table. We've had hours of presentations, hundreds of pages of research, and countless testimonials from teachers about their experiences in schools, but through all of this, government has not moved from its original position," she said.

She said the government won't negotiate with the teachers' bargaining committee about solutions to issues involving classroom size and composition.

The teachers' collective bargaining agreement expired in August. Becotte said the STF will file for conciliation this week, hoping this will encourage the the provincial government–trustee bargaining team to engage in talks that go beyond compensation and benefits.

The union will also hold a sanctions vote on Oct. 24 and 25.

"We believe we have a fair deal on the table," said Saskatchewan's Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill.

Cockrill said the government's bargaining committee remains at the table and "ready to get to business," but will not be addressing the STF's main concerns of class size and composition.

​"We've communicated to the STF that that specific topic is, we believe, best managed by local school divisions, 27 school divisions that are locally elected. We believe that school divisions are in the best position to manage class size and composition in their respective communities," he said.

"We've certainly heard that loud and clear from the 27 school divisions."

The minister touted the government's recent investments in education, but Becotte said school divisions are in crisis because of "government cuts and chronic underfunding." 

Becotte said there aren't enough staff in schools to meet the increasingly complex needs of students. She said there needs to be more teachers and specialized workers, including speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, educational assistants and mental health counsellors. 

The STF has offered suggestions to government on how to address these problems, but it's not listening, Becotte said.