Saskatchewan’s 12,000 teachers walked off the job for a day last week to draw attention to the fact they don’t have a contract.
The May 5 job action was the first-ever complete withdrawal of services in the 78-year history of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation. Teachers withdrew extracurricular services 11 years ago during negotiations.
The last contract expired Aug. 31, 2010, and the two sides have been bargaining for about a year. Teachers voted 95 percent in favour of job action in mid-April.
About 2,000 teachers from Regina and surrounding area spent their morning rallying at the provincial legislature while others spent the day in study sessions around the province.
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“We want to cause as little disruption as possible,” said STF president Steve Allen, but he added the government must hear the teachers’ message.
Teachers have asked for a 12 percent increase in one year, while the government-trustee bargaining committee has offered 5.5 percent over three years.
“Is 12 percent set in stone anywhere? No, it’s not,” Allen said. “But we don’t want to start low and have to work our way up.”
Education minister Donna Harpauer said the government offer is firm but not necessarily final.
“The offer of 5.5 percent does bring our teachers to the second highest paid teachers in western Canadian provinces,” she said.
Their wages would also be above the Canadian average, she added.
The STF has been running television commercials comparing Saskatchewan wages to those in Alberta.
“We’re not saying we want the same wages as Alberta, but … historically they’ve been between Manitoba and Alberta and they’re not there anymore,” Allen said.
He disagreed with the minister’s assertion that a 5.5 percent hike would make Saskatchewan teachers the second highest paid in Western Canada.
“I think the minister should go back to school,” he said.
Teachers attending the rally left it to Allen to speak on their behalf. Many crowded into the legislature after the rally for question period, where the NDP raised the issue.
Opposition leader Dwain Lingenfelter said the government can surely afford to pay teachers more, considering hefty raises to senior health region executives and the fact the province has money.
“There’s nowhere else in the world, in Canada, where there’s more money than in Saskatchewan,” he said.
Lingenfelter said the current offer is disrespectful.
Premier Brad Wall said he understands that teachers don’t like the offer, but they should in turn understand that 12 percent is not acceptable.
The province doesn’t want to end up in the same position as Alberta, where teachers are being laid off because of budget constraints, he said.
He and Harpauer said discussions must continue at the bargaining table.
Allen said the job action is designed to get them there.
Meanwhile, all involved said they want what’s best for students.
“The message for students that I would have I think is, ‘hang in there, we’re there for you,’ ” said Allen. “This isn’t about taking away opportunities for students at all.”
The government-trustee bargaining committee invited the STF back to the bargaining table, but a meeting date had not been set prior toWestern Producerdeadlines.
