Sask. teachers mull action as dissatisfaction with back-to-school plan mounts

In five years as the president of the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation, Patrick Maze says he's never had as many questions, emails, phone calls and texts as he has lately, with teachers unhappy with the province's back-to-schoolplan and asking what their rights are to refuse "unusually dangerous" work.

As first reported by the Regina Leader-Post, there is a growing movement among Saskatchewan teachers asking what rights and avenues they have at their disposal, should going back to school become something they don't find safe.

"Clearly, they don't feel that the government's plan to protect them in their schools issufficient," Maze said in an interview with CBC News.There is a double standard between what is considered safe for the general public to do and what passes as safe in a school, Maze said.

The teachers federation is currently consulting its in-house lawyers on the legality of collective action on work refusal, according to Maze, but he said manysteps would have to happen before something like a strike.

TheSTFisn't rallying teachers toward collective action right now either, he said.

He added if teachers feel their work environment is dangerous, they should go to their principal or supervisor first with any issues, then the local Occupational Health and Safetyrepresentative, and then the provincial OHS.

In an email, the province said employees have the right to refuse "unusually dangerous work," but that it will take steps to make sure school employees are safe.

"Further safety measures will be announced in the days ahead," a provincial spokesperson said.

No expense should be spared when it comes to safety, Maze said. Some schools have portable classrooms attached to their buildings, but extra washrooms or places to wash hands are often not added even when schools expand in that way.

"So whether it be upgrading ventilation systems, whether it be moving to different staggered days for students to decrease the number of students in the building to potentially allow for some better social distancing in schools, those are some options," Maze said.

He also said the federationwants temperature checks at every entrance in schools, and that the possibility of a later school start should be considered.

Saskatchewan students could be back in class as early as Sept. 1.