Education Minister Gordon Wyant. (Brady Lang/650 CKOM)

By CKOM News

Province extends another offer to Sask. teachers

Mar 11, 2020 | 2:31 PM

The provincial government is making a new offer to Saskatchewan’s teachers.

In a media release, the government said Wednesday that it’s offering a four-year contract that includes a $1,500 one-time payment to each teacher in the first year of the deal and a two per cent salary increase in each of the following three years.

The province says those increases, combined with the one per cent increase that teachers received on Aug. 31, “will mean teachers are making 105 per cent of the Western Canadian average.”

As well, the government said it “has committed funds that will be applied to composition challenges that have been identified by Saskatchewan teachers.”

The main issues in the dispute are classroom size and composition. Teachers say they need help dealing with some students’ complex needs, which can impact the services provided to other students.

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The government noted it has tried to deal with the issues through a committee, but the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) declined to take part.

“I encourage teachers to participate in this important committee as they work daily with students and understand the composition issue very clearly,” Education Minister Gord Wyant said in the media release.

“I urge the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation to select teacher representatives to join this committee, which I am prepared to reformat for this important discussion.”

The government said that, during previous contract negotiations between the sides, neither an arbitrator nor a conciliator has said that class size and composition should be included in the collective bargaining agreement.

The STF is planning to withhold services starting Thursday. Teachers will not supervise extracurricular activities, including sports, musical and dramatic productions, and clubs.

As well, teachers won’t be at schools until 15 minutes before the first bell of the day and will be leaving schools within 15 minutes of the final dismissal.

Regina Public Schools issued a media release Wednesday saying that school buildings will not open until 15 minutes before the start of the school day and will close — and won’t have adult supervision on playgrounds — 15 minutes after the final bell.

Jeff Perry, president of the Regina Public School Teachers’ Association, coached high school sports for 29 years. However, he understands why the STF is taking its stand.

“They’re called extracurricular for a reason. They’re outside of the duties of a teacher under the Education Act and they’ve been withdrawn so it gives teachers additional time to focus on the growing needs of students in their classrooms and trying to bring a resolution to this issue,” Perry told the Greg Morgan Morning Show on Wednesday.

Perry said he hasn’t heard too much backlash from the public because of the STF’s decision. But he’s been following what people say on social media.

“I understand that there’s going to be some students and parents and teacher-coaches who will be disappointed that their activities have been suspended,” he said.

“But at the same time, we’re seeing even more parents and students who are outraged over not getting their academic and social growth needs met, and agree that our primary role as teachers is to teach.”

More to come.