Teachers across the province, including in Weyburn, are officially on strike after reaching an impasse in negotiations with the Provincial Government. Their main points of negotiations being the size and complexity of classrooms in Saskatchewan.
The Saskatchewan Teacher's Federation announced last week that teachers would be on a one-day strike today, January 16th. Students will return to classrooms tomorrow, although further job actions could be on the horizon if negotiations do not resume.
Communities across the province have designated demonstration points for teachers to picket. Here in Weyburn, it is the office of Weyburn-Big Muddy MLA Dustin Duncan where approximately 1/3 of the local sector have gathered including teachers from the Catholic and Southeast Cornerstone school divisions.
Teachers, parents, and even some students arrived on the scene shortly after 10:00 and will be on-site and in the area until 2:00 p.m.
One local parent, a mother of three students in Weyburn, shared her thoughts while joining the picket line.
"It's so important that we address the issues that are in our classrooms," she stated. "There's just too many kids per class and not enough teachers. We need more people. We need a good education and to fund the people and resources we need for our future. It's really just for the good of the kids."
One teacher from Radville added that although she regrets the stress put on parents and students by the strike, she feels that action is necessary.
"Nobody wants to be out of their classrooms, and it's challenging for parents to find childcare, but it's just so important to make a stand because it's gone on for so long," she said. "So today we're doing the walk, despite the weather, just trying to make our voices heard and trying to stay visible."
We will have more on this throughout the day.
