Teachers across Alberta reject mediator’s recommendation for new provincial collective agreement

Alberta teachers have voted against a mediator's recommendations for a collective agreement, meaning a strike vote could be possible in the coming weeks.

Alberta teachers have rejected a mediator’s recommendation for a new provincial collective agreement, their union announced Tuesday.

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According to the Alberta Teachers’ Association, the results of the vote between Friday and Monday were 37.6 per cent in favour and 62 per cent opposed.

Some 35,800 of 44,100 registered voters participated in the vote. The union says this is a record number of votes.

Among the mediator’s recommendations were a general wage increase of 3 per cent per year for all teachers on all grids and allowances, plus a unified teacher wage grid across the province, and a process teachers could take when concerned their classroom complexity affects their ability to teach.

“The message is clear, teachers are no longer willing to accept the status quo,” said ATA President Jason Schilling.

“Public education is in a crisis and change is needed, change for our students, for our classrooms, and for the good of public education.”

The previous agreement expired on Aug. 31, 2024.

There will be a 14-day cooling off period, beginning Wednesday, before a strike authorization vote can be held, Schilling said..

If that vote passes, a formal strike vote will be held. If a formal strike vote passes, teachers would have 120 days to begin a strike, the two sides could still find a resolution during that time.

“The ATA recommended this deal from the mediator, so I think the onus (is on) them to find out what went wrong,” said Finance Minister Nate Horner on Tuesday.

“If they want us to consider moving some pieces around that we’re offering, there’s a substantial component to address classroom complexity along with the wage increase … we’ll see what they say.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson