Sask. teachers lifting work-to-rule, bargaining to resume next week
'We'll see them at the bargaining table,' says Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill
The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation says teachers across the province will suspend all job action, with plans now in place to head back to the bargaining table with the provincial government.
Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill confirmed at a news conference in Saskatoon Friday morning that negotiations will resume next week.
"We'll see them at the bargaining table," Cockrill said. "Everybody in this province wants to come to an agreement."
Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation president Samantha Becotte said during a news conference Friday the situation changed very quickly.
She confirmed teachers will stand down on job action at midnight as an act of good faith and won't take further job action as long as talks are being held.
WATCH | Province heading back to bargaining table with Sask. teachers:
Negotiations are scheduled to start on Tuesday.
"We're ready to work throughout the day," said Becotte. "I hope these are 12-hour days. I hope we're getting down to the conversations that need to be had so that we can get to a resolution as soon as possible."
Becotte said she wants to offer certainty to guardians and students in the months and weeks ahead.
Cockrill said the school year could be extended, depending on how bargaining goes.
Teachers in Saskatchewan began job action in mid-January with one-day provincewide strikes, followed by a series of rotating strikes and withdrawals of voluntary duties.
They've been operating under work-to-rule job action since Monday.
That's meant no lunch supervision, and teachers beginning their shift 15 minutes before the first bell rings and ending 15 minutes after the last.
It also meant no voluntary services being provided by teachers, affecting extra-curricular activities like sports, drama, music, band, science clubs, intramurals, rehearsals, student leadership activities, planning for graduation celebrations, books fairs, and other clubs and activities.
The announcement that teachers will suspend the job action came as students gathered at the provincial legislature on Friday in a show of support for educators.
More than 150 students from high schools across Regina and from out of town came carrying signs and well wishes.
"Teachers spend more time with their kids usually than the parents do," said Emily Lygouriatis, a high school student from Lumsden, just northwest of Regina.
"I think they have a huge impact on children. So they definitely need more support."
Sticking point addressed: STF president
Becotte confirmed Friday that the government's negotiating team presented an offer to come back to the bargaining table, adding that the province has given their negotiators a new mandate.
At the end of March, the province proposed a memorandum of understanding to the union that laid out an accountability framework meant to ensure proposed education funding would go to benefiting students.
But negotiations fell apart earlier this month after the province declined to add the following phrase to the memorandum:
"The parties agree that the Multi-Year Funding Agreement and the accountability framework will be followed and honoured."
On Friday, Becotte declined to provide specifics on how the union's previous concerns are set to be addressed. She said the language is still being worked on.
"We have seen a willingness to ensure that there is language that provides those guarantees and provides better assurances around supporting students in their classrooms and around accountability," Becotte said.
As part of this year's budget, the Ministry of Education dedicated $356.6 million in annual funding to addressing classroom supports, an increase of $45 million from last year's budget. The funding beyond this fiscal year is subject to appropriation, meaning it could be removed during a future budget.
Cockrill said negotiations next week will not address class complexity or class size.
"The latest piece on offer here is an accountability framework which really will offer teachers to have a voice in terms of feedback to local divisions on how dollars are allocated within local school divisions," said Cockrill.
In a video posted to social media, Premier Scott Moe described the decision to resume negotiations as "good news."
Moe said the teachers' federation has taken the "reasonable position" that governments and school boards honour their commitments within a contract.
"Our government is prepared to see this language included in the contract," said Moe.
"I'm very hopeful that it will form the very basis for bargaining a new agreement that works for all sides and ensures our kids receive the best possible education."
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