Teachers in the province have voted in favour of job sanctions, with results released on Oct. 27th showing that 95 per cent of those who voted were in support of the move. 

This comes following unsuccessful negotiations between the Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) regarding a new collective bargaining agreement, with the last contract having expired at the end of August.  

Some STF issues under contention for collective bargaining include an increase in enrolment, class size and composition, classroom violence, and a need for student supports, with the STF saying that out of 10 proposals, the Saskatchewan Government has refused to bargain on nine.  

Sanctions could be exercised between now and June 30, 2024, but the local impacts and specific sanctions are yet to be determined. Possible actions could range from the removal of extracurricular activities to a full strike by teachers.  

School divisions are not involved in the process of negotiations between the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation and the provincial government but are placed to feel the impact of any job action taken.  

Prairie South School Division is taking steps to prepare for possible sanctions and the effect on students. “As a school division, we want to work in partnership with the Federation with our teachers to ensure that we're delivering quality education for our students and our families,” said Ryan Boughen, Director of Education for Prairie South School Division.  

“In the end what we need to do is ensure that all of our students are safe and that we do the best job we can to continue on with our core work, which is student learning and well-being.” 

We will provide more information as the story develops. 

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