Beginning this Thursday, teachers at schools across Saskatchewan, including here in Moose Jaw, 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.

"They recognize that classroom complexity has become a huge issue in Saskatchewan, and that's not just urban school divisions, not just rural school divisions, its rural, urban, northern, everywhere," said Patrick Maze, President of

Patrick Maze, President of the Saskatchewan Teachers Association. Photo courtesy of uregina.cathe Saskatchewan Teachers Federation, "It's basically caused by chronic underfunding by the government over the last several years. Teachers have finally said 'enough is enough'."

“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.

"This sanction will remain in place until further notice and we do still have other sanctions available to us. But at this point, we hope that it will help the government understand how serious we deem this situation and that they'll come to the table with some meaningful supports to help our students."

NDP leader Ryan Meili brought the issue up during question period at the provincial legislature Monday, saying;  "Mr Speaker our teachers today, they're not fighting for themselves, our students are fighting for our kids. Today [Monday] they announced that they are taking that fight a little bit further. They're taking job actions, Mr Speaker. How did the Premier let things get so bad in our classrooms."

Premier Scott Moe responded by saying there's an offer on the table.

" We would invite Pat Maze and the STF, their bargaining unit back to the table Mr Speaker, where we have had an offer there Mr Speaker that would provide them with 105% of the western Canadian average. It would put them in a position of strength relative to their colleagues Mr Speaker."

Education Minister, Gordon Wyant, said the government’s bargaining committee has a new offer prepared to be presented at the bargaining table.

“It’s the union that has walked away from these negotiations and it’s the union that has walked away from the children in our classrooms,” Wyant said.