Collective agreement signed by teachers, province after nearly two years of negotiations

After almost two years of negotiations, job action and binding arbitration, the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF) and the provincial government have signed a new collective agreement.

The announcement came down Thursday afternoon from the government, saying an agreement had been reached between the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee (GTBC) and the Teachers’ Bargaining Committee.

The pair reached an agreement following discussions after the release of an arbitrator’s report in March.

“We appreciate the work and collaboration of the bargaining committees to achieve this result and are pleased to have a new agreement that provides certainty for teachers, students and their families,” Education Minister Everett Hindley said in a statement.

The agreement will be in effect retroactively from Sept. 1, 2023, to Aug. 31, 2026.

Saskatchewan Teachers Federation

STF President Samantha Becotte said this agreement is good news for teachers, students and their families.

“Teachers made it clear throughout a hard-fought round of bargaining that class complexity must be part of the next provincial collective agreement,” she said in a statement.

“That is now a reality thanks to the tenacity of our members and the widespread public support for public education and the work of teachers. While it won’t solve all the issues related to class complexity, we believe this Agreement is a positive first step toward ensuring students and teachers have the support they need.”

She called the inclusion of class complexity a “historic gain for teachers and the future of public education.”

The agreement includes a class complexity fund of $20 million per year and provisions to hire additional teachers to help address issues of class complexity. The STF estimates that over 500 new teaching positions will be created across the province as a result of the new article.

The Arbitration Board also includes a nine per cent salary increase over three years for teachers.

Four per cent retroactive to Sept. 1, 2023; three per cent retroactive to Sept. 1, 2024; and two per cent as of Sept. 1, 2025.

Saskatchewan School Boards Association

The Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) released a statement saying it’s pleased by the signing of the agreement.

In a statement, Dr. Shawn Davidson, president of the SSBA said, “We appreciate all the work that the parties have done to come to an agreement resulting in today’s signing in Saskatoon.”

“We know there has been a lot of attention on the negotiation of this agreement, within our sector and from members of the public,” said Davidson. “School boards can now move forward with the timely implementation of the agreement and focus on a successful conclusion to the 2024-25 school year.”

Davidson said there is a lot of work ahead for the school board related to this agreement, but it is determined to focus on collective efforts to ensure every student has the resources they need.

Negotiations began in May of 2023.