STF trades shots with minister, plans news conference on in-class violence

As the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation refuses to resume bargaining and plans more sanctions, the union is also trading shots with Saskatchewan’s education minister on social media.

The union has said it will not resume bargaining until the provincial government’s committee agrees to include stipulations on class size and classroom complexity – the number of students who require additional assistance in class – in the teachers’ new collective agreement.

A conciliation report on the collective bargaining indicated that class composition could be included in a new contract, but the government and Saskatchewan School Boards Association have both argued that those issues are better managed locally by school divisions.

“Until the government provides their committee with a mandate to engage on these critical matters, Saskatchewan teachers have no choice but to continue job sanctions,” the union wrote in a news release on Tuesday.

The union has staged a number of single-day strikes in different school divisions around the province, and withdrew lunch-hour supervision across the province on Friday. With negotiations stalled, more sanctions are likely next week as classes resume for students.

On Twitter, Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said the government’s team “is at the table ready to bargain,” and called on the federation to resume negotiations.

“Teachers and students should be in the classroom,” Cockrill wrote. “The teachers’ union should be at the bargaining table.”

Our team is at the table ready to bargain. The teachers’ union won’t come to the table and has already said there will be more job action when classes resume next week.

Teachers and students should be in the classroom.

The teachers’ union should be at the bargaining table. pic.twitter.com/k6DeJXaoVq

— Jeremy Cockrill (@jeremycockrill) February 20, 2024

The union shot back in a Twitter post of its own, saying it held a news conference on Tuesday “with brilliant education leaders from across Canada to discuss matters of bargaining and what’s best for our kids” while Cockrill “posted a picture of a table.”

“Do better,” the union wrote, tagging the education minister in its post.

Today, @STFPresident hosted a news conference with brilliant education leaders from across Canada to discuss matters of bargaining and what's best for our kids.

The education minister posted a picture of a table.

Do better, @jeremycockrill.

— Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (@SaskTeachersFed) February 20, 2024

At its Tuesday news conference, which featured unions from other provinces discussing their own collective agreements, STF president Samantha Becotte raised another issue that she said will need to be part of the conversations at the bargaining table should the two sides return to talks – violence in the classroom.

“The increase in violence and aggression in our schools across Saskatchewan has been a great cause for concern,” Becotte said.

Becotte is expected to expand on the issue of in-class violence at a virtual news conference set for 10 a.m. on Wednesday.