The ongoing standoff between Saskatchewan teachers and the province is still going strong with strikes happening in some jurisdictions around the province today and a lunchtime strike tomorrow.

Negotiations between the two sides stalled back in 2023, with job action starting back in January.

Estevan MLA Lori Carr is looking for both sides to get back to the table after multiple strikes in the southeast and across the province.

"At this point, our government is at the table waiting for the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation to return. I believe the negotiations can be positive and that a resolution can be found that works for both sides, but when there's only one party at the table, this cannot happen."

The Saskatchewan Teacher Federation's biggest item they hope to negotiate for is class size and class complexity, which they believe is putting stress on teachers.

"The Minister of Education says that issues like class size and complexity are best dealt with locally," said STF President Samantha Becotte. "We agree, but local boards cannot address these issues when they are dealing with a decade of budget cuts and drastic underfunding from the provincial government."

Carr echoes Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill's views, saying that they're not looking to include that in negotiations.

"At this point in time, we don't believe that class size and complexity belong in a collective bargaining agreement. That is something that actually lies in the hands of the duly elected school boards that we have in place." 

Carr stated that rather than that being a contract restriction disallowing class size to be negotiated, it was instead a government opinion that class size and complexity not be discussed.