75-Minute Debate (7 March 2024)

From Hansard (7 March 2024)

To view this section on video, click here and begin play at 12:02:15 pm.

 

Contract Negotiations with Teachers

The Assembly was debating the following motion moved by Matt Love (NDP - Saskatoon Eastview):

That the Assembly calls upon the government to negotiate a fair deal with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation that provides adequate and predictable resources to address the challenges of class size and complexity while respecting the autonomy of locally elected school boards.

Mr. Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has claimed that there’s always a “cost containment within agreements” during collective bargaining.

Now we know that the opposition has never really been very good at explaining anything, but they’ll now have another chance at it. And to the member from Regina Walsh Acres, who I might add, I’ve had discussions with board members and they’re telling me that the member for Walsh Acres does not speak for our board.

So to the member from Regina Walsh Acres: what would be your cost containment when negotiating classroom sizes and complexity, and what kind of a cap would you be placing on funding?

Mr. Clarke: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. You know, the reality in schools is that teachers are struggling and are hanging on by a thread. In this House we had a 17-year veteran teacher who is leaving the profession because they don’t have the supports that they need.

They’ve overshot the budget for this year by $2 billion and they’re worried about our cost containment, Mr. Deputy Speaker. We will work with teachers. We will work with school boards. We will work with parents to make sure that every child in this province gets the best education that they deserve.

---

Back to 2023/2024 Session