No Deal = No Extracurricular Activities Including Hoopla STF Says

It was suppose to be the premiere sporting event for Moose Jaw in 2024.

Bringing in hundreds of players and their entourage for three days March 21st - 23rd.

The event had filled many local hotels and had local restaurants gearing up for a major bump in business.

But now it seems anything less than a final buzzer three point court long shot means the championship will bounce off the rim and out of bounds.

Planned for next weekend (March 21st - March 23rd) Hoopla is right now set to be cancelled unless there is a negotiations miracle that’s according to the STF (The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation.)

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) has stated they will be upgrading their job actions in a serious manner if the provincial government does not agree to binding arbitration by March 17th.

Items threatened by the expanding job action include Hoopla - the provincial high school basketball championships.

In what could be seen as a non-consolatory tone the STF has laid out what that means.

“We are putting forward a fair, objective and neutral path to resolve this single-issue dispute. If government agrees to binding arbitration for class size and complexity, we will return to negotiations and all extracurricular activities, including Hoopla, band festivals, trips and graduation celebrations, can proceed,” STF President Samantha Becotte said in a release.

To ensure the provincial government understood what the STF was planning to do if they chose not to allow binding arbitration by March 17th Becotte repeated the proposed reactions.

“To put this in clear terms: if government refuses binding arbitration, then Minister Cockrill and Premier Moe are choosing to cancel school trips, graduation planning, band festivals, Hoopla and so many more of this year’s activities that bring joy to our students and school communities,” the release stated.

Under existing legislation both parties have to agree to binding arbitration.

The provincial government and the union representing Saskatchewan’s teachers - the STF - have been engaged in a months long contract dispute.

The STF is not only seeking a wage increase but also for any collective agreement to include the complexities of classrooms and funding for aids to rectify problems.

The provincial government has so far declined including the aids in the contract. The STF wants it included in any contract so the provincial government does not remove them later.

It should be noted that this weekend’s basketball Regionals - many to be played in Moose Jaw - will go ahead as planned.