Teachers and the province are still not able to find common ground in determining a new collective bargaining agreement, leading to further job action announcements from the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation this week.  

Moose Jaw will be impacted as follows: 

 

Tuesday, March 19 

Noon-hour supervision cancelled for Prairie South School Division schools 

 

Wednesday, March 20 

One-day strike impacting all Saskatchewan schools 

 

Thursday, March 21 

Withdrawal of extracurriculars impacting all Saskatchewan schools  

 

Friday, March 22 

Withdrawal of extracurriculars impacting all Saskatchewan schools  

 

The Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association said that Hoopla can only proceed if sanctions are lifted before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20th, and will otherwise be cancelled due to the necessary volunteer efforts of teachers. 

 

Samantha Becotte, president of the STF, said during a press conference that they have given several solutions to find common ground including: 

  1. Province agreeing to binding arbitration via an unbiased third party on the issue of classroom complexity 

  1. Province amending the multi-year funding agreement (for $356 million in classroom supports per year for four years) that was signed by the Saskatchewan School Boards Association to make sure funds are guaranteed and that there is a reporting mechanism in place 

  1. Province including the Memorandum of Understanding on classroom complexity that was offered to teachers outside of the collective bargaining agreement in the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee’s mandate at the bargaining table 

“We want to find a solution that works for everyone involved, but we need to have a solution that puts the interests of kids at the forefront and ensures they’re getting the support that they need,” said Becotte. 

“The lengths that they are going to avoid having a long-term commitment is really telling about how committed they are to improving the experiences of students in our public education system,” added Becotte. 

Premier Scott Moe characterized the impact on Hoopla as “disappointing” at an event he attended this morning.  

He pointed to efforts that the government is making, including their early budget announcement of a 15 per cent increase in classroom support funding. 

"That’s significant – and then have moved on to ensure that all Saskatchewan parents know that that funding is going to be there for years into the future by signing a memorandum of understanding with the SSBA and more broadly 27 school division chairs,” said Moe. 

“That investment is going to flow through the locally elected school divisions. We’re not going to give that to a provincial union.” 

Moe said they send a weekly invite to teachers to come back to the bargaining table.