Ted Zurakowski, the president of the P.A. and Area Teachers' Association, calls the 90 per cent job sanctions vote historic. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

classroom conundrum

Teachers sanctions vote historic: P.A. local union president

Feb 24, 2020 | 4:36 PM

The president of the Prince Albert and Area Teachers’ Association is calling the overwhelming vote for sanctions an historic moment.

Ted Zurakowski was speaking to the 90 per cent of Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) members who voted in favour of some sort of work sanctions in order to get the provincial government to include student supports and class composition in their new contract. That could include a full walk-out or lesser action such as withdrawing volunteer hours for extracurricular activities.

“It is [historic],” Zurakowski told paNOW. “We’ll look back at this in 20 years’ time and say ‘What was so important that teachers voted for job sanctions? What was so important at the time that teachers stood up for students?’”

According to the STF, teachers have only withdrawn professional services once since provincial bargaining began in 1973.

Zurakowski said he hoped other members of the community such as local school boards, parents and caregivers would join the call from teachers for more supports.

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“At the local level here with nearly 850 teachers, their desire is to be in the classroom with no job sanctions, but I’ve also heard loud and clear that they’re resolved,” he said. “The lack of funding and resources for students and the issue of class complexity needs to be dealt with in a meaningful way.”

Zurakowski said if the provincial government continued “to be tone deaf on this issue, teachers are resolved and ready.”

Patrick Maze, the president of the STF said in a media release Monday, “chronic underfunding has created a crisis in Saskatchewan schools that can’t go on any longer.”

He added while the sanctions by teachers could now be implemented, there was no guarantee that would happen. A collective agreement that was acceptable to teachers and addressed student needs could prevent the action he explained.

The union, school boards, and government are set to meet Tuesday.

Education Minister Gord Wyant has said in the past he doesn’t believe classroom composition should be negotiated at the province-wide bargaining table, but rather at the school board level. He also helped to establish a committee to analyze the question of composition and class size, gathering feedback from parents and students on the issue.

But Maze maintains this approach is “undermining teachers at the negotiating table.”

With files from CKOM

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow