Skip to content

Saskatchewan government rejects offer to go into binding arbitration with teachers

REGINA — Contract negotiations between Saskatchewan teachers and the province have hit another snag, along with a renewed round of finger-pointing.
20240314140328-65f3427d0dbfaef2cc16fc30jpeg
The Saskatchewan Party government has rejected a proposal from the teachers' union to go into binding arbitration. A sign outside of Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation in Saskatoon, Sask., on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu

REGINA — Contract negotiations between Saskatchewan teachers and the province have hit another snag, along with a renewed round of finger-pointing.

The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation says it would have stopped all future job action if the province accepted binding arbitration, but the governing Saskatchewan Party government says it won’t do that.

Teachers Federation president Samantha Becotte says that means Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill is responsible for future cancellations of school sporting events and field trips. 

Cockrill says the union is still on the hook for that.

Cockrill says the province does not want to go into binding arbitration because issues of classroom size and additional student supports should not be in the collective agreement. 

The teachers want those kinds of issues addressed in a new contract. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14, 2024.

The Canadian Press

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks