North East School Division office. (File photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Aaron Schulze

Teachers Contract Negotiations

NESD getting contingency plans ready in event of teachers’ federation job action

Feb 26, 2020 | 5:35 PM

The North East School Division (NESD) addressed the current state of contract negotiations between the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) and the provincial government.

On Monday, Feb. 24, the federation announced 90.2 per cent of its members voted in favour of allowing the Teachers’ Bargaining Committee to implement sanctions.

Despite job action now being a possibility, NESD Director of Education Don Rempel said he’s encouraged from the dialogue between the federation, Education Minister Gord Wyant, and the Saskatchewan School Boards’ Association on Feb. 25.

“We really do hope we don’t have to go through a job action here, but we’re also respectful of the rights of teachers to act as a collective and we hope they’re able to work to an agreement with the government,” Rempel said. “You can still do a lot of work without everything having to be in a collective agreement. I think that’s where discussions are going. What can the various parties do to address the concerns teachers have.”

Rempel said the district has a job action planning committee – its executive council and Board Chair Luke Perkins – and is putting contingency plans in place to ensure its schools can operate safely if a job action became reality.

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“We’ve got a checklist that we’ll work with our principals to make sure there are appropriate steps in place for before and after school supervision, noon hour supervision, what we’ll do as far as extra curricular activities… and also contingencies when students wouldn’t attend school,” he said.

The district’s contingency plans were used before during strikes in 2000 and 2011. Rempel said the plans vary on the scenario, whether it be a short-term job action lasting a day or two, or a long-term walkout of two weeks or over.

In the event job action, the district can use parent volunteers, support staff, and educational assistants for noon hour supervision. Rempel added principals are in the buildings before and after school, and during noon hour in case the teachers do withdraw some services.

The district would receive a 48-hour notice from the North East Teachers’ Association before any job action would take place. Classes would be cancelled if the district is without teachers for a full day.

The district’s job action planning committee will begin conversations with principals and vice principals on Feb. 27 regarding contingencies.

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow