Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Good morning, everyone, and thank you for this opportunity to speak, but more importantly to listen to you, the men and women charged with among the most serious tasks in our society: the education of our children.

You’re here to make your voices heard, because the government hasn’t been listening to you.

For too long, they’ve ignored your calls for a fair contract that treats you with the respect you deserve.

I know this job action is not a step you take lightly.

I know the commitment you as teachers make to your students: the hours you put in, the time you volunteer in school and out to make sure our young people have the best education possible.

I know the action you’re taking today is rooted in that commitment and in your sense of the respect that is due to your profession, respect that hasn’t been shown by the government throughout this long, drawn-out process.

You’ve bargained in good faith.

You’ve engaged in letter writing campaigns.

You’ve met with MLAs, and repeatedly tried to get the government to listen to you, and to respond with respect.

But the government hasn’t listened.

There’s no excuse for that level of disrespect from this government, because they could act to give you a fair contract--they’ve simply chosen not to.

This is a government enjoying record revenues, but has simply chosen not to make teachers a priority.

They have plenty of money for other things, however.

They have money to pay CEOs of Health Regions hundreds of thousands of dollars in salaries and bonuses.

The CEO in Regina recently got a $71,000 raise.

The CEO in Saskatoon got a 40% raise, amounting to a salary of over $400,000 a year. In Prince Albert Parkland Health Region, they gave the CEO a 60% increase as a reward for cutting health services to families in that area.

So we see where the priorities are: high salary increases for people who cut services to families, but not even fair, respectful discussion with teachers who provide the children in those families with an education.

Despite what the government says, it just isn’t making education and the people who provide it a priority.

They’ve cut Educational Assistants, making it more difficult for students to receive the special attention they need to learn.

They’ve repeatedly broken their promise on a sustainable funding model for school boards, making it harder for boards to plan for future needs.

And as you know, they’ve refused to treat teachers with respect at the bargaining table.

Well, the Wall government is not going to be able to ignore education and the teachers who provide it for much longer.

By assembling here today—after months and months of trying to get the government to listen—you’re sending an unmistakeable message to the government that it can’t ignore you or treat you with disrespect any longer.

And I and my MLAs are proud to stand with you, and to add our voices to yours as you deliver that message loud and clear.

For the rest of the Legislative Session, and for as long as it takes, we’re going to continue to join with you in pressing this government to treat teachers with the respect they deserve, until you get a fair contract offer in return for the crucially important work you do on behalf of the children of our province.

Thank you very much.