Teachers have voted overwhelmingly to reject latest government proposal. (File photo/northeastNOW)

By Cam Lee

Teacher vote reaction

Strong ‘no’ vote a clear sign that gov’t deal was insufficient: NETA president

May 10, 2024 | 11:55 AM

The president of the North East Teachers’ Association (NETA) is reacting to the overwhelming ‘no’ vote from Saskatchewan teachers to the government’s latest offer.

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) announced Thursday night that 90 per cent of teachers voted ‘no’ on the proposal that saw an 8 per cent wage increase over three years, but no condition for including classroom size and complexity into the contract. Just over 92 per cent of teachers cast a ballot.

Dave Rogers, a teacher at Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate (MUCC), was re-elected president of NETA earlier this week.

Rogers told northeastNOW the 90 per cent vote against the proposal shows where teachers are when it comes to the government’s supposed ‘final offer’.

“It was a disappointing offer and obviously it didn’t meet the needs of the members as 90 per cent of them chose to vote against it,” Rogers said.

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Rogers said the vote reflects a belief that the Government Trustee Bargaining Committee (GTBC) didn’t meet the needs of teachers and their classrooms. According to Rogers, the dispute isn’t about teachers’ salaries, despite the government’s portrayal on billboards and in other media.

“It’s about classroom supports, and the multi-year funding agreement really didn’t contain anything in there that supported teachers and their classrooms.”

Rogers claimed the government’s offer was essentially the same as the original one the teachers received, except for the addition of the multi-year funding agreement they signed with the Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA).

“We’ve gone almost an entire year of bargaining, and the government hasn’t ever come to the table ready to bargain with any sort of…impetus or desire to sign a deal.”

He hopes the size of the ‘no’ vote gives the government and the GTBC the message that they must come forward with a real mandate when talks resume.

“To talk about the things that are important to teachers and families in Saskatchewan, and that’s support for students, support in the classrooms, things so that we can meet the diverse needs of our students, and help them be successful members of our society,” Rogers explained.

He believes the vote could be ‘no’ due to the initial reaction to the vote itself but said you never know what people think in the democratic process. The ‘silent majority’ in the middle, Rogers said, showed they were overwhelmingly against the deal.

Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill, who expressed disappointment in the result of the vote, has hinted that the school year could be extended should negotiations with teachers drag on. However, Rogers believes that’s a bargaining tactic, noting that children in the North East School Division have only missed three days due to teachers’ sanctions.

“I think that became kind of a bit of a tactic to try to encourage people to vote ‘yes’ with the idea that if we didn’t, then the school year could be extended.”

Rogers said he doesn’t see any reason for the school year to be extended because the amount of time students missed was so small, and parents and students would be upset at any decision to extend the year.

The STF and the government have indicated a desire to return to the bargaining table.

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @northeastNOW_SK