Local students join the [picket line at a rally during a one-day strike on Jan. 16 in Prince Albert. (Submitted Photo)

By Susan McNeil

2024 Sask. teachers bargaining

No extracurricular activities Tuesday and Wednesday as teacher job action continues

Feb 29, 2024 | 1:29 PM

Teachers across Saskatchewan will not be offering extracurriculars for two days next week as contract negotiations remain at a standstill.

STF President Samantha Becotte said the five-day notice (only 48 hours are required) is to help Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill consider the impact of escalated job action.

“This job action can be stopped immediately when government is ready to negotiate on all issues of importance to teachers, including class size and complexity,” said Becotte in an emailed statement.

“We are asking the government to include the offer they made outside of the bargaining as part of the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee’s renewed mandate.”

She added that if Cockrill and Sask. Schools Boards Association (SSBA) president Jaimie Smith-Winsor plan to honour their previous comments, they would not have a problem putting them up at the bargaining table.

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Included in the withdrawal of services are organization and supervision of activities such as athletics, arts, field trips, student travel and preparing for graduation.

“Government isn’t just ignoring teachers. They are ignoring the needs of students, parents and the people they are elected to serve. More than 100,000 emails have been sent to government through Tell Them Tuesday.”

Between now and Tuesday, the STF hopes the province and SSBA will give their bargaining team a new mandate.

Becotte also questioned why school trustees are being quiet on bargaining so far.

“We’re trying to secure more funding for school divisions. Yet, local trustees are largely silent. Why aren’t locally elected trustees speaking out about how a lack of funding means they can’t meet the needs of their communities?”

The SSBA said earlier this month that they believe that classroom complexity – one of the STF’s main bargaining concerns – should be dealt with locally, rather than provincially.

Locally, the chairperson of the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division, Darlene Rowden, has been chosen by the Sask. Party as its nominee in the general provincial election this fall.

Smith-Winsor is also connected to the Sask. Rivers division and lives in Elk Ridge.

Becotte said this is the longest-lasting teacher job action in Saskatchewan’s history.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com