Beginning this coming Thursday, teachers at schools across Saskatchewan, including here in Weyburn, will be starting job sanctions. The decision to implement the sanctions was announced by the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation Monday Morning. 

The key reason for the decision, according to the release, was one of the sticking points during the contract negotiations between the Saskatchewan government and the STF - addressing the complexity and composition of classrooms in the collective bargaining agreement.

“It is extremely frustrating that the government admits there is a problem but refuses to address it,” STF president Patrick Maze said in the written release. “Students are paying the price. Teachers have made it clear that securing adequate classroom resourced for students is worth fighting for.”

The decision to allow the bargaining committee to implement the sanctions was made by the STF membership last month. The vote was overwhelmingly in favour of taking the sanctions, with 90.2 percent of teachers voting in favour. 

Beginning Thursday, the STF states teachers will continue to work during the school day to provide the best possible experience for students. However, teachers will only arrive at school no more than 15 minutes before the start of the school day and leave no later than 15 minutes after the school day is over. In addition, teachers won’t be providing voluntary or extracurricular services.

The release indicated the sanction will be in place until further notice.