Sask. teachers to escalate job action despite province's pledge to increase education funding

Saskatchewan teachers say they will be escalating their job action despite an announcement by the premier to make the "largest increase in school operating funding ever in Saskatchewan's history."

Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) president Samantha Becotte said the decision by Premier Scott Moe to pre-empt the March 20 provincial budget in a social media video on Wednesday was a "stunt."

Becotte maintained that the organization's members will not return to the bargaining table unless the province is willing to address the issue of class complexity and class size in a new contract. 

"There is a path that we can get past this. Unfortunately, a one-year investment can be clawed back and we have seen that happen before," Becotte said. 

Becotte said teachers will not pause their job action — a request floated by Moe — and will actually do more, but didn't spell out on Thursday what actions will be taken or when they would occur.

Moe provided a simple answer when asked to respond to that on Thursday.

"That's their choice. It's disappointing, very disappointing," said Moe. 

Teachers have been without a contract since August and have been carrying out rotating one-day strikes and withdrawals of services since the start of the year.

The latest job action is slated for Friday, with teachers to withdraw from noon-hour supervision in some areas of the province, including Saskatoon and Regina. There have also been periodic disruptions to extracurricular activities.

Moe announced on Wednesday that the upcoming budget will contain an increase of $180 million in education funding from last year, to a total of $2.2 billion. Of the $180 million, $45 million would be dedicated to classroom supports. 

On Thursday, Moe told media that the funding for classroom supports would not decrease "as long as we are the government." 

"I can't tell you what's going to be in the budget next year. There's a lot of things that will happen, but if the Saskatchewan Party is the government next year, that number is not going to decrease," Moe said.

The leader of the Official Opposition said on Thursday that the disintegration of the relationship between the STF and the province is all on the government. 

"The dollar amount almost is secondary to the fact that no one trusts their numbers. No one trusts that they're going to do what they say they're going to do in education," said NDP Leader Carla Beck.