Around 13 000 members of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) walked out across the province on January 16 and January 22.

Teachers and members of the public marched in 40 different locations across the province in the frigid -30℃ cold, as they tried to get the government to listen to their demands during the January 16^th and 22^nd strikes. 

The Saskatoon Teachers’ Federation (STF) represents teachers from all public and Catholic school divisions in the province. May 2011 was the last time Saskatchewan teachers walked off the job for a three day strike. One may be wondering how our province got into this deadlock again now. 

In 2017 the government cut $54 million from education funding for the 2017-2018 budget. The STF says the system never recovered from this cut and it has compounded issues of classroom complexity over the years. This impacted the relationship between the STF and the government which in 2017, produced a two-year contract after arbitration. 

In 2019, as the contract was up for renewal, the STF made demands for a salary increase of eight percent over three years and changes to classroom size and complexity.  Specifically, they requested a system to ensure that the needs of a growing and diverse student population are met through an appropriate ratio of teachers, counselors, speech pathologists and English as a second language teachers (to name a few) to students. The government refused to include classroom resources during the negotiations, and instead countered with a bonus of $1500 in the health plan and wage increase of four percent over the next two years. 

The negotiation talks went unsuccessfully, resulting in a sanctions vote in February 2020. As a result, Saskatchewan teachers agreed to restrict services such as extra-curricular activities and clubs on March 12^th, 2020. However, due to COVID-19 and the indefinite closure of schools on March 20^th, 2020, the sanctions never occurred and were suspended.

This leads us to the current situation, where contract negotiations have been ongoing since May 2023. Union executives called a sanctions vote on October 24^th. Around 90 percent of teachers casted a vote resulting in  an almost unanimous agreement of 95 percent  in support of job sanctions if needed between October to June 30^th, 2024. This vote came as a response to the government’s refusal to bargain on a provincial collective agreement. 

The teacher’s union is firm in their ten proposals for negotiations, which include a wage increase of eight percent over four years plus the average inflation rate, matters of class size and complexity, violence in classrooms, and actions that support Truth and Reconciliation. The government has responded that issues of classroom complexity should be handled at a division level and not in the collective agreement. According to union executives, conciliation between the union and province have failed to make headway which has resulted in these strikes going forward.

Sydney Eher, a third year undergraduate student at USask, has been an educational assistant (EA) for over a year at the Saskatoon French School and St. Paul School. Eher said she is “passionate about helping every child achieve success, regardless of their academic ability.”

She says her experience as an EA has been enjoyable, with the children inspiring her and teaching her lessons on her perspectives on life. It can, however, feel overwhelming at times as she tries to support as many children as she can. “I find it hard not to feel guilty that I cannot fully support each student to the depth they need,” Eher said.

These contrasting feelings are not isolated to Eher’s experience but represent the emotions many current and future teachers face.

Emily Lyons, a fourth year education student at USask, has gone into classrooms for her practicums and as an EA. She finds great joy working with children and shares that she too wishes to “be there for each and every student when and where they need it, but that is just not sustainable nor is it achievable.” 

Lyons mentioned that she sees the impact of the cuts in our education system directly. “It is so difficult seeing students who are struggling but can’t get as much help as they deserve and need because they don’t qualify for one-on-one help,” Lyons said.  

Eher highlights that Saskatchewan classrooms were not created to hold more than 30 students. Additionally, she noted that during extremely cold weather there is very little classroom space for the children to interact with one another, play or even move around during an indoor recess.

While Lyons is weary of the current state of our education system, her approach to her future career is filled with hope. She is energized to make a positive change in students’ lives and said that she has “seen the wonders that EAs do, and I can only imagine the impact that I could have as a teacher. It truly pushes me to fight for children’s education and their future.”

Eher wanted to ask readers to reflect on the next generation of leaders during this time and to see that they are worthy of a strong education and deserve a safe learning environment:“Teachers’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions. The government can’t keep expecting us to put students first if we are putting teachers last.”

The university has issued emails to students regarding the implications of the strikes on students with children. They have said to communicate with your instructors on childcare issues who have been asked to accommodate students struggling to find childcare arrangements during these strikes. 

The government and STF have not reached an agreement and more strikes may occur, says the STF.

Lyons would like to leave readers with this sentiment: “These children are capable of so much more, but until they are provided with an education that truly allows them to grow as learners, we will never see their full potential.”