Events in peril as Sask. teachers announce provincewide strike, continued withdrawal of extracurriculars

Two major extracurricular events scheduled for this week are in peril as job action by the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) continues.

The provincial high school basketball championships, known as HOOPLA, were scheduled to begin Thursday in Moose Jaw and the Optimist Band Festival in Regina is to take place this week.

Both are in danger of being cancelled after STF announced Monday it will hold a one-day strike on Wednesday and withdraw from extracurricular activities on Thursday and Friday. 

As of Monday morning, organizers of the Optimist Band Festival said they were still working to determine their next steps.

In a statement Monday morning, the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association set a deadline for 3 p.m. CST on Wednesday, March 20, for a decision on HOOPLA. 

"If sanctions are not lifted, HOOPLA will be cancelled due to the lack of teacher involvement in the events," said Dave Sandomirsky, the organization's executive director. 

Both sides of the labour dispute laid the blame for any potential cancellation on the other.

"It's their decision to make. They don't have to shut down HOOPLA. They can make a decision not to shut down HOOPLA and they can make a decision to come back to the bargaining table. And we respectfully would invite them to do so," said Premier Scott Moe.

Dozens of students and parents gathered in front of the STF's office in Saskatoon Monday afternoon to protest against the union's decision to withdraw from extracurricular activities.

Many were angry about the potential cancellation of HOOPLA. 

"You're in small towns. There's no scouts, ever. HOOPLA is so important because when we go there, people are looking at us. People are watching us for once," said Grade 12 student Cassidy Pederson.

Pederson plays for Lord Asquith's women's basketball team. She said cancelling sporting events impacts all athletes and their prospects for future opportunities. 

"And if HOOPLA is cancelled, that could cancel my future in basketball," she said.

Students also travelled from the neighbouring town of Saint Brieux, Sask., about 170 kilometres from Saskatoon, to show their support for the protest. 

"Both senior boys and girls for Saint Brieux are ranked first this year," said Pederson.

"The girls haven't been to HOOPLA in years. It is their chance. It is their turn. Why are we taking that away from them?" she said. 

Another Grade 12 student said while they support the teacher's strike and their demands, athletes have worked all season to get a chance to play at HOOPLA. 

"This is some people's last chance to ever play basketball, and you guys are taking it away from us," said Jack Gray of Holy Cross High School. 

"Why can't we just wait till Monday … why are we getting punished for something we can't control?" he said.

Parents who were at the protest say while they hope teachers can get what they have demanded from the government, they also want them to make decisions that do not impact students.

Darin Derbyshire has a son in Grade 12 who was supposed to play at HOOPLA this week. 

"Some of these kids who are top athletes and now they're not going to get to participate in the stage that they've been working their butts off all year to get to," he said. 

Derbyshire hopes teachers and the government can come to a deal before Wednesday. 

"All these adults that are making these decisions just need to get their act together and look after the kids, do what's best for them," he added.

Binding arbitration offered: STF

STF president Samantha Becotte says teachers have been clear what needs to be done to end job action.

Last week, the STF invited the province to enter into binding arbitration on the issue of class size and complexity, which teachers want to see included in their collective agreement. The STF said that if the government agreed to the arbitration, teachers would return to the table to negotiate on the remaining issues.

Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill declined.

On Monday, Becotte blamed the government for forcing teachers to continue job action this week.

"If the government agreed to binding arbitration for classroom complexity or provided their bargaining team with the mandate that included classroom complexity, we could return return to the table to negotiate an agreement and, like I said, all sanctions would be cancelled or suspended," Becotte said.

Becotte admitted there is a chance this job action — affecting major extracurricular events — could backfire.

"There is a concern about public perception of these actions, but our hope is that the public recognizes the fight that teachers are having to get this government to make long-term commitments to public education. It shouldn't be this hard," Becotte told media.

The STF confirmed a planned rally at the legislature in Regina Wednesday to coincide with the release of the provincial budget that day.

Cockrill has repeatedly expressed his disappointment in the teacher job action and said that he wants teachers to return to the negotiating table.

"We've been clear that these issues, class size, complexity, are not issues related to the [collectively bargained agreement]," Cockrill told reporters last week.

The STF, which represents nearly 13,000 teachers, has been engaging in rotating job action since mid-January following the breakdown in contract negotiations. Rotating strikes and withdrawals of voluntary activities have been taking place on nearly a daily basis since the end of February.