We may be in for a tumultuous ride as students work their way towards summer break.
While no final decisions were announced as of press time, according to reports earlier this week, Saskatchewan teachers are prepared to walk off the job for the first time in the history of provincial collective bargaining. Schools across the province are closed today (Thursday) as 12,000 teachers represented by the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) are taking job action to protest stalled contract talks.
The last time teachers took job action was in September 2000, when they worked only mandated classroom hours and stopped extracurricular activities. The move ended one week later after teachers agreed to an 11.5 per cent increase in wages and benefits.
The most recent collective agreement expired Aug. 31, 2010. While a conciliator was brought in after talks broke down, to date no agreement has been reached and in April, teachers voted 95 per cent in favour of job action.
What will this mean for students as the end of the school year quickly approaches?
The government is reportedly offering a 5.5 per cent salary increase over three years while teachers are asking for a 12 per cent increase in just one year. Many teachers say they are feeling overworked and underpaid compared to their Alberta counterparts. The starting wage for a Saskatchewan teacher with a four-year university degree is $46,419, increasing to a maximum of $73,036 after 14 years. A teacher with the same level of education earns a starting salary of $55,632 in Edmonton, increasing to a maximum of $88,024 after 10 years.
We value our teachers, especially those who are dedicated and go that extra mile. It's a tough job that not everyone can do. While nobody is saying they shouldn't be properly compensated for what the service they provide, is leaving our children stranded the best way to work through this issue?
Exam time, grad and year end work is just around the corner, it may be the ideal time to "make a point" but surely there can be compromise so Saskatchewan's students aren't the ones who wind up paying the price.
