Saskatchewan teachers will work-to-rule as talks with province hit another snag

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation says teachers will be implementing a work-to-rule model indefinitely starting Monday as contract talks with the province hit another snag.

Staff will only be at work fifteen minutes before and after work. They will also no longer participate in any voluntary actions including noon-hour supervision and extra curriculars.

STF president Samantha Becotte said discussions with the provincial government have been going on for the past few days after the province came forward offering an MOU to address classroom size and complexity.

Becotte had said before discussions even began that the teachers union would need something to make the agreement binding, but added that was a point the government wasn’t willing to agree upon.

“When the actions of government continually contradict their words it’s difficult to trust anything they say these days,” Becotte said.

“We need real commitments that these aren’t just election year promises and that they’re not just making these commitments because we’re in this dispute. We need to know that year after year, the experiences of students in our classrooms are going to improve.”

1:41 Sask. government MOU has STF ‘cautiously optimistic’ about potential bargaining agreement

Becotte said the decision to introduce more job action comes after the STF requested one line be added to the collective agreement.

“That line was that the parties agree that the multi-year funding agreement and the accountability framework will be followed and honored,” she explained.

Becotte said on Friday, the line was denied by the government.

She said the union won’t be going back to the bargaining table “to stare at each other,” adding that the government bargaining committee doesn’t have a mandate to negotiate on the issues important to teachers.

1:49 Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation losing hope for return to bargaining table

“These invitations are completely hollow.”

Becotte said she was hopeful when the MOU was offered and didn’t want things to get to this point.

Before the announcement, Global News received a statement from the ministry of education about the offer to teachers.

“Government and school boards remain firm that class size and complexity will not be included in the new collective agreement,” the statement read.

“However, government has offered the STF the ability to participate in the development of the accountability framework MOU and the subsequent framework. Their involvement would allow teachers to have direct input in the formation of the accountability framework that would oversee how the $356.6 million for classroom supports, as announced in the 2024-25 provincial budget, is utilized.”

Global News has reached out for an updated response from the ministry.

More to come.

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