Sask. teachers to refuse lunchtime supervision Thursday as next step in job action

The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) says teachers won't be there to supervise students at lunchtime on Thursday.

The union issued a 48-hour strike notice for the withdrawal of voluntary noon-hour services on Monday morning, the latest job action as contract talks with the province remain at a standstill.

STF members will alsonot be available to organize or lead noon-hour extracurricular activities or clubs, according to the union, whichhas announced a second set of rotating strikes taking place on Wednesday.

"We recognize that those actions do have a significant impact on students and their families across the province and and that's not our goal," STF president Samantha Becottetold mediaon Monday.

Both the union and province have accused the other of stalling talks. The STF says the government refuses to discuss class size and complexity in the agreement, while the province says the STF is hung up on its offer of a seven per cent wage increase over three years.

Education Minister Jeremy Cockrillcalled the move "disappointing" on Monday afternoon, and said he hoped the two parties would be back at the bargaining table soon.

"It affects students and families," he said."It's not where we'd like the situation to be."

WATCH | Some Sask. teachers walk out as job actions intensify:

Teachers from 5 regions across Saskatchewan walk out

9 months ago

Duration 1:41

Five teachers associations are on strike Thursday. It's a part of full-day of rotating strikes the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation has planned.

Cockrill says the government's position hasn't changed but it is reviewing the terms of its initial offer.

"We want to make sure public employees in this provinceare compensated fairly for what they do," he said, but added"that discussion happens at the bargaining table."

Cockrill said the wage increase tied to inflation the STF hasasked for "is not a reasonable deal for Saskatchewan tax payers at all."

He added that the government is committed to addressing increasing classroom complexity, including through $40 million for some school divisions to hire support staff announced last June.

However Becotte says the one-time funding isn't enough and saysnothing, including a full strike, is off the table.

"We want to be in our classrooms, we want to be supporting our students, but we need help in in that. We need government to recognize the problems and make long term commitments," she said on Monday.

"[Government's]disengagement in the process is absolutely disrespectful to students and teachers, and it shows their lack of commitment to address these issues in the long term."

It's still unclear what lunch on Thursday will look like for students, and Becotte says that will depend on school divisions, who may ask parents to volunteer to supervise.

Under Saskatchewan's Education Act, supervising kids is the school division's responsibility, not teachers', but many are paid to volunteer their non-classroom time or compensated with time in lieu. That money comes partially from fees familiespay school divisions, sometimes up to $100 per year, according to the union.

"School boards face the impossible task of balancing government funding shortfalls and the rising costs of services that students need," the STF said in a Monday news release.

Teachers have been without a contract since August 2023, and in October they voted overwhelmingly in favour of authorizing job actions after talks with the province broke down.

The job actions, which began with one-day strikes last month, are the first time Saskatchewan teachers have walked off the job since 2011.

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