The changes come as the NWT are approaching a full month of distance learning after a combination of online and paper-based teaching began on April 14 following the closure of all schools at the end of March. However, in September 2019, Fraser told NNSL that since the last collective agreements were negotiated in 2016, two key issues had emerged: classroom violence and teacher retention. The current collective agreement also introduced the Strengthening Teachers` Instructional Practices (Stip) initiative, which diverted 100 hours of teaching time to personal planning time for teachers. NWT Teachers` Association and the territorial government began negotiations on Tuesday on a new collective agreement. Negotiations for separate collective agreements YK1 and Yellowknife Catholic Schools will take place in the fall, Oliver said. Both agreements expire on 31 August. The Covid-19 pandemic has delayed school authorities` negotiations on their collective agreements with the NWT Teachers` Association. (NWTTA), but teachers will continue to work. RELATED REPORT: NWT Education Leaders agree on school closures 2019-2020 The GNWT agreement also applies to schools with compliant jurisdictions from the Commission scolaire francophone Territoires du Nord-Ouest (CSFTNO). The agreement will reach approximately 450 members working for the South Slave, Dehcho, Beaufort Delta and Sahtu Education Councils, as well as the Commission scolaire francophone de division and the Tłı̨chǫ Community Services Agency. NWTTA has collective agreements with Yellowknife Catholic Schools (YCS), Yellowknife Educational District No. 1 (yk 1) and the GNWT, which includes Allain St. Cyr School and all other schools outside of Yellowknife, said NWTTA President Fraser Oliver.
Traditionally, negotiations have been conducted primarily with GNWT schools in communities outside of Yellowknife, “because no matter what public schools get, Public Schools in Yellowknife are funded in the same way. If there is an increase in teacher funding — an increase — then the same would be offered to teachers in Yellowknife. .