‘We talk about growth that works for everyone’: Sask. teachers decry contract talks

Saskatchewan Teachers Federation president Samantha Becotte said the province and school boards are not taking class size and other issues into account in contract talks.

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation says the province and school trustees are stonewalling on the biggest issues in negotiations toward a new collective agreement for educators in the province, federation president Samantha Becotte said.

Becotte said the union has tried to have discussions about violence in the classroom, as well as class size and complexity, noting these issues affect both teachers and students.

“We are seeing an increase of  violence in our classes, unfortunately,” Becotte said, noting that some students have trouble regulating their emotions, which can sometimes lead to violence.

“This is at no fault of the students. This is a result of class complexity and students not having access to the resources that they need.”

Becotte said teachers and students have a right to a classroom that is safe, noting that the federation is pushing to put protections in place. She also said students aren’t getting the professional support they need, adding that the increase in class sizes doesn’t help.

There have been about six days of discussions between the two sides, but Becotte said  the government isn’t budging.”We just see no movement from the other side of the table with the government or trustees in any commitment in addressing this at the bargaining table.”

Becotte said federation negotiators have been presenting data around class size and complexity, as well as experiences of teachers, noting these are many of the same talking points that the federation has been bringing forward over the past year.

“It’s really going beyond that triaging level to a crisis.”