Sask. Teachers' Federation consulting with members on binding arbitration, set to provide update Friday

STF consults with members on arbitration WATCH: The Sask. Teachers’ Federation is consulting with its membership on the use of binding arbitration to reach a deal.

The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) has revealed it’s consulting with its members on the use of binding arbitration to reach a deal with the province.

In an update released Wednesday afternoon, the STF said the consultation with teachers is focused on the two possible paths forward for negotiations.

One of the paths includes using the binding arbitration process to resolve two outstanding issues for the STF: class complexity-accountability framework and teachers’ wages.

“Additional information will not be available while the member consultation process takes place,” the federation said in the update.

The STF is set to hold a media availability Friday afternoon to discuss the future direction of its collective bargaining efforts.

Teachers across Saskatchewan began “work to rule” on June 10, after the STF formally declared a bargaining impasse on June 5 due to the province’s latest offer not including the issue of class complexity.

A second tentative agreement was rejected by 55 per cent of the STF membership in a vote held from May 29-30.

Bargaining between the STF and the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee has now dragged on for more than a year – and has seen three impasses declared, two tentative agreements reached and countless demonstrations by teachers across the province.

Teachers have been without a collective agreement since September of 2023.