The Alberta government is urging teachers to return to negotiations to break the ongoing deadlock, while the teachers’ union insists that the province needs to offer a new deal instead of rehashing a rejected one. Finance Minister Nate Horner is calling on teachers to carefully consider the latest proposal, which he believes demonstrates respect for educators. Despite the Alberta Teachers’ Association stepping away from the talks over a week ago, union president Jason Schilling expressed willingness to resume discussions. However, Schilling emphasized the importance of addressing teachers’ concerns regarding classroom conditions and salaries.
The proposed deal includes a 12% wage increase over four years and a commitment to hire 3,000 teachers within three years, with the government putting forward $2.3 billion. Horner highlighted that they have taken into account both classroom complexities and salary issues. The looming strike mandate, granted months ago by the union’s 51,000 members, sets a deadline of October 7 for potential strike action, with a mandatory 72 hours’ notice.
The Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association, representing school boards in negotiations, also has the authority to impose a lockout. The union has cited national data showing Alberta’s per-student funding ranks among the lowest in the country. Schilling pointed out that teachers have only received a 5.75% salary increase in the past decade, failing to keep up with inflation and posing challenges in attracting and retaining educators.
Schilling called on parents to question the government’s acceptance of the crisis in public education, emphasizing the issue of increasingly large class sizes. Horner acknowledged the fiscal challenges faced by the government, with a projected deficit of $6.5 billion. He justified the need for incremental pay raises for teachers in Alberta to align with market standards, noting that the province cannot afford to be an outlier in compensation. The aim is to bring Alberta in line with comparator provinces and strengthen its position in the market.