Saskatchewan teachers vote to renew job sanctions mandate

On Thursday night the vote was announced, with a 95 per cent of voters supporting further sanctions, if needed.

Saskatchewan teachers have once again overwhelmingly voted in favour of renewing the mandate for job sanctions from the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF).

On Thursday night the vote was announced, with a 95 per cent of voters supporting further sanctions, if needed.

“With this vote, the STF Executive and Teachers’ Bargaining Committee have a renewed mandate to implement the job sanctions they deem necessary until there is an agreement in place,” STF said in a release.

The sanctions renewal vote follows teachers’ rejection of what government called their final offer for a provincial collective bargaining agreement.

“We welcome the resumption of negotiations this week, and we are optimistic that teachers’ decisive rejection of the government’s contract offer, and this renewed sanctions mandate, will serve as a wake-up call,”  STF President Samantha Becotte said.

The Teachers’ Bargaining Committee and Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee returned to the negotiating table on Wednesday afternoon.

STF said talks continued Thursday, and both committees have agreed to meet again on Friday to continue negotiations.

“STF members expect that an agreement will be negotiated that will address students’ needs and teachers’ working environments,” STF said.