Sask. teachers begin rotating full-day strikes amid stalled contract negotiations
5 local teachers' associations in the province walked off the job Thursday
Saskatchewan teachers have begun rotating strikes in some divisions, as neither the government nor the teachers' union are budging on contract negotiations, and both blame the other for stalled bargaining.
On Thursday, five teachers' associations walked off the job, including educators from the Holy Trinity Teachers' Association, of which Clayton Boyer is the president.
Boyer, also a Grade 7 teacher, recalled past years in his 24-year teaching career where there were more supports such as teacher librarians and counsellors. He said those supports have dwindled and become the responsibility of teachers.
"We try and shoulder it all because that's what we do, we try and do the best for our students," Boyer told CBC near the intersection of Main Street and Thatcher Drive in Moose Jaw.
"We're kind of at a breaking point where there's nothing left to give."
WATCH | Some Saskatchewan teachers return to picket lines at the beginning of rotating strikes:
Boyer's class has about 22 students — far fewer than many of his colleagues, some of whom have 35 students in their classroom, some with multiple grades.
He echoed the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation's calls for the provincial government to negotiate on classroom size and complexity, which the union says the government is refusing to do.
"We're not trained as psychologists, we're not trained as counsellors," Boyer said.
WATCH | STF President Samantha Becotte on the union's rotating strikes:
Thursday is the third day of striking by the union, following two one-day, province-wide strikes on Jan. 16 and Jan. 22.
The following local teachers' associations started to strike Thursday:
- Horizon Teachers' Association, including all Horizon School Division schools (east-central Saskatchewan).
- Prairie South Teachers' Association, including all Prairie South School Division schools (Moose Jaw area).
- Holy Trinity Teachers' Association, including all Holy Trinity Catholic School Division schools (Moose Jaw and Swift Current).
- Prince Albert and Area Teachers' Association, including all Prince Albert Catholic School Division schools, and all Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division schools.
- Tri-West Teachers' Association, including all Light of Christ Catholic School Division schools, Living Sky School Division schools and Sakewew High School (North Battleford area).
The strike action also includes Conseil des écoles fransaskoises schools falling within the above geographic boundaries. Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre teachers stationed at schools or regional campuses within these areas are also expected to participate in the rotating strikes, the federation said in a news release Monday.
Kent Clegg, also picketing in Moose Jaw, said more students appear to have complex needs than in years past and there's not enough supports.
"We struggle each day to try to be there for each student," Clegg said.
In response to concerns about class complexity, the government has pointed to $53.1 million it devoted to enrolment and complexity.
The province and teachers are also distant on salary proposals.
Teachers are asking for annual wage increases of two per cent, and for their salaries be tied to the consumer price index to account for inflation.
However, the province says the Consumer Price Index is not a factor in any other collective agreement it has signed and maintains that its offer of a seven per cent raise over three years would keep the salaries of Saskatchewan above the average in Western Canada.
"A fair deal for teachers must also be a fair deal for taxpayers. Saskatchewan taxpayers already contribute the most per capita to education in the country," the ministry of education said in an emailed statement Thursday.
Strikes in the province's two biggest cities may still come.
Eduardo Marquez, a parent in Saskatoon, said he supports teachers and believes what they're asking for is reasonable.
But he added that further strike action at his children's school would be disruptive for both him and his wife. His wife is a freelance worker, and relies on her children's school schedule when booking work, while Marquez said staying home with his kids would throw a wrench in his own education.
"I've got a very busy schedule trying to finish a PhD at the university, working part-time at a consulting firm downtown," he said.
"It just means that I'm going to have to be at home more. It's going to delay, you know, progress with my degree and it might end up making things more complicated for doing the part-time work that I do."
Trevor Bearance is a substitute teacher who lives in the southeastern community of Rocanville, and says he has a lot of sympathy for everyone involved.
"My only concern at this time ... is that students who are writing departmental exams and final exams are not hindered or jeopardized in any way by strike action," he said.
He said he hopes teachers are able to get the first semester put to bed, and consider job action after the latest round of exams.
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With files from Tyreike Reid and Laura Sciarpelletti