Sask. teachers, province end lengthy stalemate by signing new contract

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A new collective bargaining agreement for Saskatchewan teachers has been signed by both the provincial government and the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, according to the two parties.

Members of the teachers’ bargaining committee and the government-trustee bargaining committee (GTBC) agreed to a new contract in Saskatoon on Thursday. The GTBC represents both the Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan School Boards’ Association (SSBA).

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“We appreciate the work and collaboration of the bargaining committees to achieve this result and are pleased to have a new agreement that provides certainty for teachers, students and their families,” said Education Minister Everett Hindley in a news release issued late Thursday afternoon.

The announcement concludes nearly two years of negotiations, not to mention the longest string of job action from teachers in Saskatchewan’s history. Both parties agreed last summer that arbitration was the logical course to settle lingering issues of wages and classroom complexity.

The new three-year agreement is in effect retroactively from Sept. 1, 2023 to Aug. 31, 2026.

It includes a class complexity fund of $20 million and provisions to hire new teachers, per a March ruling from the arbitration panel. The contract also features salary increases of nine per cent over three years — broken down to four per cent for 2023, three per cent for 2024 and two per cent for 2025.

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The inclusion of classroom complexity was a major sticking point in contract negotiations and represents a historic gain for Saskatchewan teachers, said STF president Samantha Becotte in a press release.

“While it won’t solve all the issues related to class complexity, we believe this Agreement is a positive first step toward ensuring students and teachers have the support they need,” she said.

A statement from SSBA president Shawn Davidson — on behalf of the province’s 27 school divisions — said the organization is “pleased” to see an agreement reached.

“We know there has been a lot of attention on the negotiation of this agreement, within our sector and from members of the public,” said Davidson. “School boards can now move forward with the timely implementation of the agreement and focus on a successful conclusion to the 2024-25 school year.”

 lkurz@postmedia.com

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