The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) says an arbitration board has ruled that class complexity will be part of the new contract between Saskatchewan teachers and the provincial government.
A news release from STF says the arbitration board has directed the STF and provincial negotiators to come to an agreement on the language around class complexity provisions.
If the two sides cannot come to an agreement, they will return to the arbitration board.
A class complexity fund of $20 million per year will also be provided in addition to all other provincial funding, STF says.
Teachers have also been awarded a salary increase of nine per cent over three years; four per cent retroactive to Sept. 1, 2023, three per cent retroactive to Sept. 1, 2024, and two per cent of as of Sept. 1, 2025, STF says.
The STF is portraying the complexity decision as a win for teachers.
“With this ruling, we now have the opportunity to negotiate on class complexity. Likewise, the government now has a responsibility to negotiate on this issue,” STF President Samantha Becotte said.
Becotte said this decision is “a decade in the making,” as prior to this agreement teacher contracts in every province except Alberta and Saskatchewan contained clauses directly addressing class size, class composition and violence-free work environments.
Teachers in Saskatchewan have been without a contract since August 2023.
The STF organized rotating strikes and job action throughout the first half of 2024.
In June 2024, the two sides agreed to to arbitration on teachers’ pay and a classroom complexity-accountability framework.
Arbitration began in Saskatoon in December.
