After enduring a prolonged contract dispute, 51,000 members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) initiated a strike on Monday following failed negotiations with the province. This development impacts over 730,000 students in Alberta, including more than 142,000 enrolled in the Calgary Board of Education (CBE).
The ATA members, teaching at various schools in the province, decisively turned down a proposed deal offering a 12 percent wage increase over four years, salary upgrades for most teachers, and complimentary access to the $100 COVID-19 vaccine for eligible teachers. The offer, rejected by an overwhelming 89.5 percent of ATA voters, also promised to create 3,000 additional teaching positions, a move deemed insufficient by the ATA. President Jason Schilling cited the need for over 5,000 new teachers, increased support for larger and more complex classrooms, and salary adjustments to match inflation.
Furthermore, the rejected offer included plans to hire 1,500 more educational assistants by 2028, a commitment the government still plans to fulfill. Schilling confirmed ongoing discussions between both parties to seek a cooperative resolution.
During the strike, students can access online learning resources such as D2L and Google Classroom provided by the CBE. The province also offers free K-12 curriculum toolkits and removes the 10-credit-per-year limit on non-primary distance education for students in grades 10 to 12.
To aid families during the strike, the province offers financial support of $150 per week for parents or guardians of students aged 12 or younger. Applications for this support can be made online starting October 14, with payments beginning on October 31.
While classes are suspended, support staff like bus drivers, custodians, and educational assistants are expected to continue working. Unionized educational assistants and support workers will not replace teachers but will support them during the strike.
In addition to financial aid, the province provides increased subsidies for licensed full-time child care and free admission to heritage sites and museums for children under 18 during the strike period. The decision to retain support staff during the strike lies with individual school boards.
This strike marks the first province-wide teacher strike since 2002, underscoring the significant impact of the ongoing labor dispute on the education sector in Alberta.