Sask. teachers return to the picket line for more rotating strikes

Teachers in Saskatchewan's largest school division walked off the job on Wednesday as a series of rotating one-day strikes continued.

The job action marked the third time since the start of the year teachers at Saskatoon Public Schools hit the picket line for a one-day strike.

Teachers working in the city's Catholic division also walked the picket Wednesday, along with Prairie Spirit School Division, which serves the area surrounding the city.

While Regina is not involved in this round of strikes, a group of teachers also gathered outside the legislative building Wednesday morning.

In the province's north, teachers in the Northern Lights School Division and Creighton School Division were also off the job. 

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Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) president Samantha Becotte says public support has been strong for teachers amid the ongoing job action.

“We regularly hear from parents, business owners and we’ve seen a lot of support from religious groups and churches who have opened their doors and allowed teachers to come in and warm up during these days,” Becotte told CTV Morning Live.

Teachers have been offered a seven per cent salary increase over three years but say their main issues that need to be addressed at the bargaining table are classroom sizes and complexities.

The province has been steadfast on their stance that those issues are not something they are willing to bargain on. Instead the province says those issues are being brought to the forefront through funding and pilot project announcements.

The STF says teachers will be picketing between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Wednesday throughout northern Saskatchewan as well as in Warman and three spots in Saskatoon.

Becotte said she expects public support to continue Wednesday.

However the rotating strikes have not brought the province, who has said it is ready to negotiate back to the bargaining table.

“The government remains intransigent they have not come back to us with a renewed mandate despite our efforts on the picket lines and with additional actions,” Becotte said.

Those additional actions will include the removal of noon hour supervision across the province for the day on Thursday.

“Every one of these announcements have been disappointing because I know it affects students and families at the end of the day,” Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill told reporters on Monday. “It’s not where we’d like the situation to be,” he added.

As of Monday, Cockrill said the last time he spoke with Becotte was Jan. 11.

Teachers have been without a contract since August of 2023. Bargaining initially began three months earlier.

The STF said in October the two sides had reached an impasse. No known talks have taken place since that time.

In a series of updates late Wednesday afternoon, the STF suspended all job action ahead of a planned resumption of negotiations.