Sask. teachers announce 3 day pause of extracurricular activities, as province and school boards make funding deal

Saskatchewan teachers have announced their next round of job action with plans to suspend all extracurricular activities for three days province-wide as they remain at odds with the province over a new contract.

The three day pause will take place on March 11, 12 and 13 along with a one day withdrawal of noon-hour supervision on the 11th at various school divisions.

On Thursday, the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) said that they had no plans to return to the bargaining table following a pre-budget announcement from Premier Scott Moe that promised record funding for education in the upcoming provincial budget.

On Wednesday Moe announced that the provincial government would provide an additional $180 million in funding which would increase Saskatchewan’s education operating budget to $2.2 billion.

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Moe said he took the “unusual step” of announcing part of the education budget prior to budget day in an attempt to demonstrate its commitment to continue the bargaining process with the STF.

The STF said that it would not return to bargaining until the province’s most recent funding promises were included in a new collective agreement.

“While this week’s funding announcement is welcome, it does not guarantee ongoing, predictable and sustainable funding for education,” STF president Samantha Becotte said in a release on Friday.

“We have said on many occasions that a new collective agreement is within reach; government simply has to come to the bargaining table with a mandate to negotiate class size and complexity,” she added in the release.

The province has remained steadfast that classroom size and complexity is not something they feel is appropriate to discuss at the bargaining table.

On Friday the province said it had reached a multi-year funding agreement with the Saskatchewan School Boards Association that would ensure that there is long-term and sustainable funding to support classrooms around the province.

• Sask. says new agreement with school boards association will address classroom size and complexities

The STF said in a news release that while they were encouraged by the deal, it was agreed upon outside of the collective bargaining process with teachers.

“We’re encouraged that government appears to be finally listening to teachers, parents, students and the community by taking steps to provide predictable, sustainable funding for public education,” STF president Samantha Becotte said.

“If government is willing to negotiate on the items addressed within the memorandum of understanding and bring this to back to the table, we believe an agreement can be reached quickly,” Becotte also said.

School divisions that will not have noon-hour supervision on March 11 will be all schools in Creighton School Division, Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, Horizon School Division, Lloydminster Public and Catholic School Divisions, Northwest School Division, Prairie South School Division, Prairie Valley School Division and Saskatchewan Rivers and Prince Albert Catholic School Divisions.

Teachers have been without a contract since August 2023.

Bargaining initially began in May of 2023 with the STF declaring impasses in October and February.

-- With files from David Prisciak.