Starting today, the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation will be working to rule until there is a return to the bargaining table. However, they aren’t willing to return to the table unless the provincial government includes one sentence in a new collective agreement: 

“The parties agree that the Multi-Year Funding Agreement and the accountability framework will be followed and honoured.” 

The STF stated Friday the government did not want to include this sentence in a new collective agreement, despite the federation saying this would be a path back to the bargaining table. The government countered by stating the bargaining was more about union control than actual solutions for classrooms in the province.  

“What we were discussing this week is a commitment that they will do what they are committing to do,” expanded Samantha Becotte, the President of the STF. “Not a pinky promise deal, not a deal with an escape clause, not an accountability framework that only includes reporting mechanisms but nothing that actually holds people accountable to the decision that they’re making. One line in an agreement that says they will follow through on their commitments.” 

The work to rule starting today will see teachers withdrawing all voluntary services, and only working their hours as outlined. This will mean arriving at the school 15 minutes before the start of the school day and leaving 15 minutes after. There will be no support for extracurricular activities, such as athletics, arts, drama, or graduation planning. The withdrawal will also mean no lunch-hour supervision. 

“In our sanction actions we haven’t had that indefinite withdrawal of service yet, whether voluntary or professional services, so this is a significant escalation in terms of what we have had in the past to where we are at now,” Becotte said of the move.  

For the South East Cornerstone Public School Division, the largest school division in the Weyburn area, this will mean a cancellation of all extracurricular activities. In an email to parents, Director of Education Keith Keating asked parents, if possible, to have children go home for lunch if possible. If they are unable to, there will be supervision for the students provided by parents and community members. To help with the supervision, the email asked parents who can assist to contact their local school.  

In March, the province announced they had reached a new multi-year funding agreement with the Saskatchewan School Boards Association that would help to cover concerns about classroom complexity and class size. At the time, the STF called it a backroom deal but said there could be a way back to the bargaining table by tying part of the MFA to any new collective agreement to ensure the money wouldn’t go to servicing debts of school divisions or capital projects. They also called for the funding to be tied to enrolment and inflation.  

The provincial government refused to expand on the agreement, or include it within the framework of a collective bargaining agreement. The STF then followed up by suggesting the matter go before binding arbitration, where an independent third party could determine a solution to the impasse. The provincial government refused that request as well.  

At this time, there is no word on any further negotiations.