Sask. teachers weighing options after mediated contract talks fail: STF

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) says a four-day session of conciliation talks with the province has failed to produce a new contract, and now the union will discuss a possible “sanctions” vote with its membership.

Those sanctions could include anything from withdrawing volunteer service and extracurricular activity support to a “full-blown walkout.”

In an interview Friday, STF president Patrick Maze said the provincial government is still unwilling to negotiate on issues of classroom size and composition.

“Government didn’t come into conciliation seemingly prepared to address those problems,” Maze said.

The two sides have been discussing a new contract for teachers for more than nine months.

Negotiators for the province’s teachers are looking for commitments to classroom resources to better address high-needs students who have been integrated into regular classes — leaving some teachers feeling overwhelmed, Maze said.

“Teachers go home at the end of the day without feeling like they’ve been able to make a difference,” he said. “Instead, they just feel like they’ve been putting out fires all day.”

Education Minister Gord Wyant has said in the past he doesn’t believe classroom composition should be negotiated at the provincewide bargaining table, but rather at the school board level. He also helped to establish a committee to analyze the question of composition and class size, gathering feedback from parents and students on the issue.

But Maze maintains this approach is “undermining teachers at the negotiating table.”

With the conciliation process failing, the STF now plans to discuss next steps with both the provincial executive and local leadership.

Maze said the outcome of those discussions could include a return to the negotiating table, or a sanctions vote to create pressure on the province to make a deal.

However, he stressed the discussions haven’t happened yet and a decision on a vote to take job action could take a while.

Discussions with local STF leaders are expected to wrap up by Feb. 7, with a potential vote coming sometime afterwards.