Alberta Teachers’ Association condemns province’s negotiation tactics

After two weeks, duelling press conferences raised hopes for an end to the Alberta teachers' strike. Both sides dug in their heels instead.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) is accusing the province of trying to force teachers back to work and put them in a position that is favourable to the government and school boards.

In an update Friday, ATA president Jason Schilling said they presented the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) with a “balanced” proposal this week, but it was rejected.

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During the bargaining process this week, he said the United Conservative Party government sent them a letter requesting teachers return to class on Oct. 20 and “enhanced mediation” would be undertaken to arrive at a settlement.

Schilling said the letter stated student-teacher ratios could not be included in those negotiations.

“This limitation undermines any attempt at resolution,” he said.

“TEBA, representing all 61 public, Catholic and francophone school boards and government have made it clear — it will not consider any meaningful discussion regarding student-teacher ratios or a concrete and accountable response to class complexity in teachers’ collective agreements.”

As a result, he said teachers will continue their strike action.

“Teachers very much wish to return to the classroom,” Schilling said. “However, they cannot do so without securing reasonable grounds for believing that their classroom conditions will be materially improved and that their continuing efforts will be respected and justly compensated.”

Schilling said Alberta’s education system has been “chronically underfunded” for years and a billion dollars would be needed just to bring it up to the Canadian average.

He says $2 billion — $500 million over four years — would create “concrete, real solutions for classrooms.”

“I think it’s a reasonable approach by teachers to expect that government would move to address their classroom conditions with our students learning.”

• Timeline: Contract negotiations with Alberta government, teachers

Schilling said the ATA is ready to bargain.

“We’re ready to discuss solutions that will make classrooms manageable, improve student supports for students with complex needs, and ensure that teachers can teach and students can learn.”

In a statement released after the ATA’s announcement, Premier Danielle Smith said her government was attempting to return students to classrooms and provide “a clear path” to ending the labour action.

“We want the same things as the ATA: More teachers. More pay for teachers. More educational assistants. And more classrooms,” the statement read.

“This strike has gone on too long and we are extremely concerned about the impact it is having on students.”

In a news conference on Friday, Smith said if an agreement isn’t finalized soon, teachers will be legislated back to work.

Diploma exams optional, gov’t says

The Alberta government says diploma exams for students who are looking toward post-secondary education will now be optional.

Officials say the decision was made given the amount of instructional time that’s already been lost because of the current labour action.

The tests, scheduled for November, if students choose to write them, will be administered on the currently scheduled dates.

Any student who chooses not to write their diploma exams will not have their courses or grades impacted.

All January and June diploma exams and provincial achievement tests are unchanged.