Teachers feeling ignored after weeks of job action
Union says it's not backing down as premier urges return to bargaining
Thousands braved cold temperatures and harsh winds as they gathered at the Saskatchewan legislature Monday to put pressure on the province in what has been the longest string of job action by teachers in the province's history.
Celine Mills, a teacher with Regina Catholic Schools, said it's disheartening to feel ignored by the provincial government as the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) is in its ninth week of rotating strikes and sanctions throughout the province.
“It's really amazing to see so many of our colleagues coming out,” said Mills, bundled up at the Legislative Building. “On the other hand, it's frustrating and a little disheartening that we have to be out here again. The fact that we're not being taken seriously, that the people who are supposed to be in charge and making decisions for the betterment of kids, are ignoring the things that we're seeing.”
“It makes me personally feel like my professional opinion doesn't count for much in the eyes of the government.”
While strikers picketed around the legislature grounds in droves, a solemn and subdued atmosphere was in the air.
“It feels different today,” said Mills. “I feel like we're a little less optimistic.”
Teachers continue to push the need for language to address classroom size and complexity to be included in the union's collective agreement, which the province has repeatedly turned down, offering $53.1 million in annualized funding to address these issues outside bargaining through a memorandum of understanding. Teachers are standing up for their profession in an “admirable fashion,” Premier
Scott Moe told reporters on Monday.
“The fact of the matter is, and I think Saskatchewan families would agree with this fact, is we want teachers and students to be in the classroom,” said Moe following the announcement of a provincial labour market strategy on the other side of town. “And the appropriate place for the teachers' union is to be at the bargaining table.”
Moe said the STF has bargained for “30 minutes in the last five months,” and the province has made three offers to the union which have been turned down.
“We're not going to take what is a locally elected school division decision and transition that decision-making ability to a provincial union,” said Moe.
The premier promised a “continued commitment to that specific investment” in the next year or two.
Back at the picket line, Jeff Sweet was parked in front of the legislature, handing out free coffee and snacks to pickets out of his truck in support of the STF.
MLAS made their way into the legislative building through a line of picketing teachers to start the final sitting of the twenty-ninth legislature on Monday.
As expected, the Opposition focused heavily on the current state of education and the ongoing job actions by the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF). Many of the teachers made their way inside to the gallery for the first day of the sitting.
Minister of Education Jeremy Cockrill thanked the teachers present, eliciting heckles from the NDP.
Opposition Leader Carla Beck spoke to the same teachers, saying they “braved bad roads,” but “they believe, as we believe, it is important to be here today.”
“I'm very sorry that you have to be here, because I know you don't take this action lightly,” said Beck.
“Courage. There are better days ahead.”
Beck opened question period citing Saskatchewan's “worst job creation record” in Canada while leading the nation in mortgages in arrears.
“Saskatchewan people need some relief,” she said before asking why the province has not scraped its fuel tax.
Premier Scott Moe said people are paying less in taxes than they were 10 to 15 years ago, especially those in lower income brackets before accusing the NDP of being in agreement with the federal NDP and Liberals.
Beck redoubled the NDP'S message that it does not support the carbon tax, before asking why Dustin Duncan, minister responsible or all major Crowns, and Moe did not do more to try and secure a carve out for natural gas and home heating from the carbon tax. She argued they sat on their hands, “failing to get a deal.”
Moe and Duncan “didn't even pick up a phone to try” and make a deal, she said.
“Call Jagmeet” chided Minister of Immigration and Career Training Jeremy Harrison during Beck's statement.
These are “policy decisions that are not treating Canadians fairly,” Moe emphasized.
“That tax, that silly and ridiculous, harmful, inflationary tax should be removed from everything for everyone,” he said.
Moe also thanked the attending teachers, which brought about more heckles from the NDP telling the premier to “go talk to them outside.” The Opposition also brought up the billboards put up around the province by the government when bargaining started last year.
Moe hinted at a coming announcement to address classroom composition and complexity.
“There's an additional commitment to come,” he said.
The government updated its offer to the STF and wanted them to come back to the bargaining table, noted Cockrill.
Education critic Matt Love said the NDP committed to bargaining on classroom composition and complexity with the STF.
The best way to get a deal done is at the bargaining table, Cockrill said, but the province will not bargain on composition and complexity.
“We're not going to be negotiating class size and complexity in a provincially bargained agreement or here on the floor.”
“You won't negotiate in the assembly but you'll negotiate through billboards and Twitter,” jabbed Love.