Saskatchewan teachers begin voting on contract offer

The battle between the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation and the provincial government could end Friday.

Throughout Wednesday and Thursday, education workers will vote on whether or not to accept what the province says is their final offer.

In a social media post from the STF, they said just two hours after voting opened, over 45 per cent of members had cast their vote.

Contract negotiations between the STF and the province started in May 2023, before coming to a head in January 2024 when teachers began to strike, demanding a better offer.

The STF is calling for issues like classroom size and complexity to be addressed in a new agreement and the province is saying those issues fall under school board jurisdiction

Multiple one-day strikes took place after negotiations fell through, before rotating strikes, cutting lunchroom supervision, extracurriculars and work to rule.

On April 18, the final offer was brought forward by the province.

The proposed three-year contract teachers are voting on includes three per cent salary increases in years one and two, with the first increase retroactive to September 2023, and a two per cent increase in the third year.

The contract proposal also includes an article stating that an accountability framework — laid out as part of a memorandum of understanding to ensure provincial funding to the Saskatchewan School Boards Association would benefit students — would be followed and honoured.

Voting closes at 6 p.m. Thursday.

— More to come.