Province says graduations will happen; STF eyes path to bargaining table

Province says graduations will happen; STF eyes path to bargaining table

Released Mar 28, 2024Last upgraded 16 hours ago3 minute checked out

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Minister of Education Jeremy Cockrill speaks inside the radio space in a joint interview with SSBA President Jamie Smith-Windsor on Thursday, March 28, 2024 in Regina. Image by KAYLE NEIS /Regina Leader-Post

Saskatchewan’s education minister states graduations will happen this year, despite possible task sanctions.

What that looks like is something of a secret, after Jeremy Cockrill was not able to supply numerous information of the federal government’s contingency strategies throughout a news conference with the Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) on Thursday.

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“Government is going to be dealing with school departments to ensure that those activities take place as regular,” he stated, including he understands instructors and principals strive to arrange graduations and instructors wish to exist.

When requested for specifics, Cockrill stated leasing halls would be thought about however “conversations are relatively initial.”

Keeping in style, a just recently promoted responsibility structure for education financing meant by the federal government recently likewise stays shrouded in secret.

The federal government has actually provided the structure as a compromise it hopes will get the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) back to the bargaining table amidst historical task action.

“The proposition is relatively basic today and, definitely, if we can concern an arrangement with the STF on this MOU, that’s when we would begin drilling down into information,” Cockrill stated, while likewise repeating “language around class size and intricacy will not remain in the provincially negotiated contract.”

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Minister of Education Jeremy Cockrill speaks inside the radio space in a joint interview with SSBA President Jamie Smith-Windsor on Thursday, March 28, 2024 in Regina. Picture by KAYLE NEIS /Regina Leader-Post

The structure is presently in draft kind and was provided to the STF on Monday with an invite for feedback, he stated. STF president Samantha Becotte stated there has actually been back-and-forth in between the STF and the federal government ever since, however a sticking point has actually been whether anything in the MOU will be binding.

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According to the draft, “disagreement resolution systems will be not readily available to the celebrations.” And neither Cockrill, or SSBA president Jaimie Smith-Windsor would comment particularly on whether the structure would be binding or what sort of procedures would be put in location to guarantee responsibility.

“If there’s no conflict resolution, then it’s no more than a pinky pledge made amongst 2 individuals out on a school play area,” Becotte stated Thursday early morning, arguing for the structure to be consisted of in the cumulative bargaining arrangement so there would be procedure to grieve specific problems if they emerge.

The STF has actually long-argued that moneying to resolve problems connected to class size and intricacy should be consisted of in a brand-new instructors’ agreement or some other binding arrangement. This would supply guarantees that financing from the province supports trainees and not “working with extra department administrators or paying for department financial obligation.”

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STF president Samantha Becotte speaks with journalism after concern duration inside the Saskatchewan Legislative Building on Thursday, March 14, 2024 in Regina. Image by KAYLE NEIS /Regina Leader-Post

Smith-Windsor stated “protecting management rights” is part of the reasoning for why the SSBA does not support the addition of such language in a cumulative bargaining arrangement.

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Asked straight if it was a “no” from her on the binding nature of the proposed structure, she indicated a just recently signed multi-year financing offer signed in between the province and the SSBA that recommends a $356.6 million flooring for financing in the 2024-25 till 2027-28 for extra class supports. Cockrill has actually stated this cash “will attend to essential concerns like class size and intricacy.”

“They’re liable and totally transparent and public-facing, in addition to they maintain regional autonomy and management rates,” Smith-Windsor stated of school boards Thursday.

The SSBA would be among the 3 signatories if all celebrations consent to the responsibility structure.

Still, Becotte stated the STF is “carefully positive” that an arrangement is upcoming. And in spite of declarations made by the minister on Thursday that the STF had actually moved the goalposts throughout bargaining, there was a degree of amicability in between the 2 sides.

The MOU will “offer us a course back to the bargaining table,” Becotte stated.

“I ‘d enjoy to state that we’ll be back to the negotiating table as early as next week,” when asked when that may occur.

Advised from Editorial

  1. STF President Samantha Becotte talks to journalism throughout the 2024-2025 Saskatchewan Budget at the Saskatchewan Legislature on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 in Regina.

    STF, province enthusiastic possible responsibility structure produces course forward

  2. Jaimie Smith-Windsor, president of Saskatchewan School Boards Association, speaks in the Rotunda of the Legislative Building on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 in Regina.

    SSBA, province ink four-year offer, STF exposes course back to bargaining

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