Members of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) are currently casting their votes on the provincial government’s final offer, which could potentially bring an end to the ongoing labour dispute. Voting commenced on Wednesday and will conclude at 6 p.m. Thursday. Notably, within the first two hours of voting, over 45% of members had already cast their ballots.
The STF and the provincial government have been engaged in contract negotiations since May 2023. The situation reached a critical point in January 2024 when teachers initiated a strike due to an unsatisfactory offer from the government. The STF has been advocating for addressing issues related to classroom size and complexity in the new agreement, while the province contends that these matters fall within the jurisdiction of school boards.
Following the breakdown of negotiations, multiple one-day strikes occurred. These escalated to rotating strikes, limited lunchroom supervision, suspension of extracurricular activities, and work-to-rule measures.
On April 18, the provincial government presented its final offer, which is currently being voted on by teachers. The proposed three-year contract includes salary increases of three percent in years one and two, with the first increase being retroactive to September 2023. The third year would see a two percent increase.
The contract proposal also includes an article stating that an accountability framework would be followed and honoured. This framework is outlined as part of a memorandum of understanding to ensure that provincial funding to the Saskatchewan School Boards Association would benefit students.
The voting process is scheduled to conclude at 6 p.m. Thursday, with further developments expected to follow.
