The ongoing row between Saskatchewan teachers and the province was brought home last week, as Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) members alleged attempts to get members to violate a work-to-rule order.
STF members say the Creighton School Division was one of two where an unidentified person attempted to ask members to breach the conditions of the order. News of the accusations first became public from an online post from Patrick Maze, the former president of the STF. In the post, Maze, now a senior administrator with the STF, alleged teachers working with Saskatoon Public Schools and the Creighton School Division had been requested, either by administrators or board members, to conduct actions that would have run against STF sanctions at the time.
“STF members in at least two school divisions, both Saskatoon Public and Creighton, have been told by their employers they must attend events that are restricted due to sanctions. They are trying to break our solidarity,” said Maze.
As of the time when the allegations were made, STF members were on a strict “work-to-rule” order, meaning only working within normal working hours and not organizing extracurricular activities, supervising lunch hour and other duties.
Creighton-based members of the STF declined to comment on the matter to The Reminder, but provincial executives did comment on the situation in an April 12 press conference.
“I think the most public ones that we've heard about were in Creighton and in Saskatoon. Teachers are receiving directions from their division administration or from the school board to engage in activities that would not be following sanction action,” said STF president Samantha Becotte in the press conference.
“Teachers have a charter right to engage in these job actions. They have a charter right to associate with a labour organization, with the federation and we are following what is outlined within the Education Act.”
The Reminder contacted the Creighton School Division for comment on the situation, but did not receive one as of the paper’s weekly deadline.
Meanwhile, the STF announced April 12 that it would resume bargaining with the province for a new collective agreement, with leadership saying that some of the group’s concerns have been brought up in preliminary discussions. Talks are scheduled to restart April 16.
The return to talks means an end to the STF’s call for teachers to work to rule, meaning that teachers will continue to be a part of lunch hour supervision of students, extracurricular activities and such.
“The Teachers’ Bargaining Committee is hopeful that quick progress can be made on the remaining issues and we can reach a tentative agreement to bring to our members for ratification,” said Becotte.
“We believe the ongoing commitment of our 13,500 members and the strong support for teachers within the wider community shows just how much Saskatchewan people value education and the learning experience of our children.”
In a statement released in January announcing the union’s intent to strike, STF leadership said problems with Saskatchewan education and a lack of movement from the province in negotiations are prime reasons for weeks of job action and strikes. Discussions on reducing class sizes, increasing workloads on teachers and class complexity - compounding issues relating to a lack of supplies and resource funding - have gone nowhere. The STF has worked without a new contract since their last one lapsed.
