High school teacher Greg Pollard has adapted his daily routine significantly. Instead of being in the classroom, he now spends most of his time in his basement operating a heat press machine to create and sell custom-designed clothing. What initially started as a means to ensure timely customized jerseys for his school’s sports teams has evolved into a side venture, Bean & Bud Custom Designs, to supplement his teaching income during financial difficulties.
Amid a province-wide strike affecting around 51,000 teachers in Alberta, many educators, including Pollard, are facing a lack of regular pay. Despite being aware of the absence of strike pay following an 89.5% rejection of the province’s latest offer, teachers like Pollard are willing to make sacrifices, as expressed by the president of the teachers’ union.
As the strike continues, more teachers in Alberta are turning to side jobs to express creativity and make ends meet. Cochrane teacher Natalie Roy is reviving her photography business, Whimsical West Photography, during this period but finds it challenging to rebuild her client base. Airdrie music teacher Sarah Batchelor has found solace and additional income by crafting and selling crocheted items like hair scrunchies and mug cozies, which also serves as a coping mechanism amidst the emotional strain of the strike.
Christian Cook, a human resources professor specializing in employee and labor relations at Mount Royal University, notes the increasing trend of teachers engaging in side gigs during strikes. This shift is attributed to the prolonged duration of modern strikes compared to previous years, as well as the growing popularity of gig work due to the escalating cost of living.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association allows teachers to seek alternative employment during the strike, except for tutoring their current students, which is prohibited under the Teacher Code of Conduct. As negotiations between the province and the teachers’ union resume on Tuesday for the first time since the strike commenced on October 6, the solidarity and success of the job action remain crucial.