The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) has just held a press conference regarding the tentative agreement that was met this morning with the provincial government. 

The agreement between the Teachers’ Bargaining Committee and the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee reportedly acknowledges the key points for which the STF has adamantly pushed. This agreement's fulfilment  is contingent on the democratic support of STF members.

President of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation Samantha Becotte spoke to members of the media today after the original announcement.  

“This has not been an easy process for anyone involved, but we have arrived at a mutually acceptable agreement that will begin to respond to students’ needs,” explained Becotte. “The Minister (of Education) and I have both acknowledged that challenges with classroom complexity have compounded over a decade and solutions won’t be found in one budget cycle or one collective agreement.” 

The details of the agreement will be shared with STF members over the next few days, including May 21 and May 22, when they will be holding multiple members-only virtual town halls. The vote on the tentative agreement will be held on May 29 and May 30. 

“I am a little bit relieved; this has been a challenging process for everyone involved and I'm not immune from that,” stated Becotte when prompted on her personal reaction. “I'm excited to present the details to members and let them have their voice within this process. I am excited to see improvements to the experiences that students and teachers will have in classrooms across the province.” 

The Provincial Executive of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation officially endorses this deal, encouraging their members to commit to it too. Once the details are released, members will be able to vote on signing the agreement or not. 

Becotte stated that she was hopeful that teachers would eventually see a conclusion to collective bargaining.