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This is not what valuing students, teachers and public education looks like. This is the result of chronic underfunding where students are suffering and teachers can’t cope. The impacts of the Sask. Party government’s cuts to education are significant and funding levels continue to fall short: 24 out of 26 school divisions have deficit budgets.

These negotiations are about properly funding education so students have access to the supports they need and deserve. For two years, we have been raising these concerns with Minister Wyant and there has been no action. Determined to make a difference, we raised it at the bargaining table. Minister Wyant instead chose to undermine bargaining by creating a class size and composition committee. This decision did not respect the bargaining process or teachers.

We are asking for a mechanism within our collective agreement to address class complexity to ensure accountability. A one-time, pre-election budget increase or a funding shell game is not a solution. Our lack of faith in government’s follow through is for good reason. In 2016, government chose to only fund school divisions for half of our negotiated salary increase, forcing divisions to cut programs and supports. Today, enrolment increases and inflation are not being funded, compounding the problem. The list of government committees and reports that have failed to deliver on promises is long and disheartening.