Saskatchewan Teachers Overwhelmingly Reject Government’s Final Offer

In resounding fashion, the teachers of Saskatchewan have voted against the final offer put forward by the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee for a provincial collective bargaining agreement. Ninety percent of voters opposed the GTBC’s final offer, with 92.2 percent of Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation members casting a vote over a two-day period on May 8 and 9.

“The message to government and the Saskatchewan School Boards Association is crystal clear: their so-called ‘final offer’ is unacceptable and does a disservice to students and teachers. The Government of Saskatchewan and the SSBA must finally take this process and these issues seriously and work with teachers in good faith to address the crisis occurring in publicly funded schools under their watch,” says STF President Samantha Becotte. “This vote tells students, families and our Teachers’ Bargaining Committee that teachers are deeply committed to securing a sustainable future for publicly funded schools and for the supports our students desperately need in classrooms.”

The Teachers’ Bargaining Committee has extended an invitation to the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee to return to the negotiating table with a new mandate on May 13 and 14. Teachers anticipate that the GTBC will accept the invitation and return to the bargaining table, and therefore will not immediately recommence sanctions.

“We need a deal that guarantees the government’s full, unwavering commitment to the future of public schools beyond the election cycle. Anything less is untenable,” says Becotte. “We are now a year into this process, having opened negotiations last May. We are nearing the end of a school year spent under the shadow of an intransigent government that seems to disregard the largest job sanctions ever undertaken by Saskatchewan teachers and ignore students’ needs. No more backroom deals and no more ‘final offers.’ School divisions are finalizing their budgets for next year and they’re indicating that funding is still grossly insufficient. The students, families and teachers of Saskatchewan need real commitments to improve experiences in classrooms and solutions to address the challenges in education.”

Members of the public are encouraged to join teachers in calling on government and the SSBA to negotiate in good faith with a new mandate that properly addresses the issues at hand. Supporters can sign up to join the Tell Them Tuesday campaign that has sent nearly 500,000 emails and phone calls to government and school board trustees since January 1, 2024.