Sask. teachers return to 'work to rule' job action

Saskatchewan teachers are once again imposing "work to rule" job action across the province starting on Monday.

That means teachers will arrive at schools 15 minutes before the start of the school day and leave no later than 15 minutes after the day.

There will also be no volunteer services or supervision during lunch time provided by teachers.

Teachers will also not take part in any extra curricular activities during the work to rule period.

School divisions individually have made their own announcements on how they will carry forward.

In Regina, the public school division said all of its extra curricular activities will be paused for the time being.

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Discussions between the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) and province broke down when the STF declined binding arbitration, something Saskatchewan Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill and Premier Scott Moe both publically said was now the best path moving forward to reach an agreement.

Binding arbitration would include a neutral third party joining negotiations and listening to proposals from both sides before making a decision on the best path forward to end the contract stalemate.

At the end of May, 88 per cent of STF members voted on another offer from the province with 55 per cent saying "no". It was an offer that was endorsed by STF leadership and province aftering being reached on May 17. 

The three year offer included three per cent salary increases in years one and two and two per cent in the final year.

According to the STF and province, also included in the offer was:

• An accountability framework that would be signed by the STF, government and the Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) and attached to the agreement as a Memorandum of Understanding
• An additional $18 million per year to tackle classroom complexity, which will be added to the multi-year funding agreement that was signed by the SSBA and the government
• Creation of a minister’s task force on classroom complexity, comprised of teachers, students, and parents. A final report would be presented to the Minister of Education, which will ensure input from teachers and students
• A policy table on violence-free classrooms chaired by the Ministry of Education, and including representatives from the STF and SSBA.

Saskatchewan teachers have been without a contract since August of 2023. Initial bargaining began between the province and STF began in May of 2023. 

-- With files from Caitlin Brezinski.