As Sask. teachers vote on new sanctions mandate, education minister says bargaining is restarting
CTV
Negotiations between the provincial government and Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) will be restarting on Wednesday, according to the province’s education minister.
Negotiations between the provincial government and Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) will be restarting on Wednesday, according to the province’s education minister.
“We’re actually starting up bargaining again later today,” Cockrill said in an interview with CTV Morning Live Saskatchewan. “We’ve had some informal talks between our two bargaining committees over the last couple of days.”
Cockrill said the informal talks were aimed at learning more where the STF is coming from after members overwhelmingly voted no to an offer that was on the table.
“I’m encouraged that our bargaining teams are getting back to the table today in a more formal way. Again, everybody here wants to get a deal done, we just have to sit down and make that happen,” Cockrill said.
While bargaining gets underway once again, STF members are voting to decide whether or not sanctions can be extended past this school year, with the current mandate for job action ending on June 30.
Voting will be open Wednesday and Thursday with results expected to be shared with the public Thursday evening or Friday morning.
When asked how far away the two sides are, Cockrill said he feels they are very close on several issues at hand.
