Holy Trinity, local teachers’ union sign new five-year agreement

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

Holy Trinity Catholic School Division and its teachers’ union have signed a new five-year agreement, which, among other things, creates a fund that teachers can access for professional development activities.

With the current Local Implementation and Negotiation Committee (LINC) agreement expiring on July 31, 2022, the Holy Trinity Teachers’ Association (HTTA) asked the division’s bargaining team to meet to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement.

The two groups met on April 24, with the teachers’ LINC team consisting of seven members and the division’s team consisting of five senior leadership members. They hammered out a new deal that day and submitted it to the board of education, which ratified the new LINC agreement during its May 15 meeting.

The new agreement covers Aug. 1, 2022, to Aug. 31, 2027.

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation negotiates salaries provincially for its members, while locally, teachers’ associations negotiate for perks such as substitute teacher pay, leaves of absence or class prep times, explained education director Ward Strueby.

After the HTTA and senior management completed negotiations and signed a tentative five-year agreement, the union sent it to teachers for a vote, he continued. Educators voted 96 per cent in favour of ratifying the document.

“I think it just goes to show that the relationship we have between management and our schools in our division (is positive),” said Strueby. “Holy Trinity is a small school division, so we get to really know our staff and they really get to know management.

“It just really shows that great working relationship we have and we all know that if teachers are happy, division office staff are happy, that means our kids are going to be happy in classrooms as well.”

LINC agreement changes

One new change is the board will establish an annual professional advancement and learning fund that equates to 1.1 per cent of all teaching salaries — regardless of contract type, the board report said.

Holy Trinity will use the money for HTTA bursaries for individual professional development and division-allocated professional advancement and learning opportunities, while it will put any unspent money into an accumulation fund. By Aug. 31, 2027, any unused money will be carried over to a maximum of 25 per cent.

HTTA’s financial allocation will be 65 per cent and the division’s allocation will be 35 per cent.

Another money-related change is net pay will be deposited into teachers’ accounts on the 21st day of each month, with 10 pay periods from September to June or 12 pay periods from September to August.

With the start of the 2023-24 year, where the 21st day is on the weekend or a holiday, the division shall deposit the net pay on the preceding business day.