Kaiden Brayshaw, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, LiveWire Calgary
Calgary classrooms will be empty of both teachers and students come Oct. 6, after a government-presented deal was met with a widespread teacher no-vote.
Some 89.5 per cent (38,113 total) of eligible ATA members voted against the deal government and teachers’ association leadership agreed to on Friday. A negotiated deal remains possible, but as it stands post-vote, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) will go on strike next week, according to the union.
More than 43,000 teachers cast online ballots between Sept. 27-29.
Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic School District students should expect normalcy until official labour action is taken. Labour updates will be posted to each district’s website.
The no-vote comes after President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner called the deal a good resolution for teachers and the education system as a whole in a TEBA-issued statement.
In response to the vote, Horner said that ATA leadership should meet with their members to gain clarity on what teachers need out of a deal.
“With two failed ratification votes, I am left questioning whether the union fully understands what their members are seeking. If teachers did not want this deal, then why was it proposed by the ATA in the first place?” Horner’s statement reads.
Main tensions between the ATA and Teacher Employer Bargaining Association continue to be inflation-reflecting salary increases, and classroom sizes and complexity, points that the rejected deal would’ve covered, according to Horner.
“The ATA’s rejected deal would have provided tremendous investments in classroom supports to help alleviate population growth and classroom complexity pressures with the hiring of 3,000 new teachers and over 1,500 new educational assistants in public, separate and francophone classrooms. This would have been in addition to the hiring required to replace retiring and departing teachers,” he said in a statement.
The deal also would have included a general wage increase of 12 per cent over the four-year term, as well as a wage grid unification which would have provided more than 95 per cent of teachers even larger wage increases up to 17 per cent.
Horner said that this is the second time teachers have rejected a potential settlement that provided what their union said teachers wanted, referencing the previous Aug. 29 stalemate.
“The ATA’s rejected deal would have provided tremendous investments in classroom supports to help alleviate population growth and classroom complexity pressures with the hiring of 3,000 new teachers and over 1,500 new educational assistants in public, separate and francophone classrooms. This would have been in addition to the hiring required to replace retiring and departing teachers,” Horner said in a statement.
ATA President Jason Schilling said the no-vote proves the association’s leadership reflects teachers’ widespread sentiment.
“For weeks, this government has tried to suggest that the ATA leadership is out of touch with members and barreling toward a strike, that somehow the ATA leadership is preventing a deal from being made,” he said.
“They are wrong, we went directly to our teachers and asked them, their response, the resounding and historical no that you have before you today.”
Schilling said that the UCP government has failed to fund for increased enrolment, class complexity and growth.
“The government should be embarrassed to suggest that teachers should not expect an improvement of their working conditions and salary,” he said.
Teachers and the ATA as a whole do not take the decision to strike lightly, according to Schilling, understanding the impacts on upwards of 1 million Albertans.
“We know that this decision will affect your lives and we do not take this decision lightly, but you already live with the impact of underfunding, overcrowded classrooms, missing supports and learning conditions that fall short of what you deserve,” he said.
Parents and school community are encouraged to “get loud and stay loud,” Schilling said.
“No child of yours should be left without a desk, without the help that they need, or without hope for something better. This is bigger than a contract, teachers are not just fighting for themselves, they’re fighting for every student, every family and for the very future of public education in this province.”
The relationship between teachers and government has been strained throughout recent years, according to Schilling, and has culminated in the looming strike.
“Our members, quite honestly, are feeling extremely disrespected by government, especially this government,” he said.
Teachers have had COVID-19 related concerns ignored, been cut out of the curriculum making process and are currently dealing with new pronoun legislation and book removals, Schilling noted.
“They do not want to do (these things) and they feel disrespected by this government and that has played a part into all of this as well.”
In the meantime, the government will continue putting Alberta’s students first, Horner’s statement says.
“Alberta’s government is committed to reaching a fair deal for our teachers so we can keep our kids in school.”
Alongside Horner, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Education and Childcare Demetrios Nicolaides will host a conference midday Tuesday to provide an update on financial and educational supports available in the event of a teacher strike.
Political figures most concerned about students in potential labour action
Amanda Chapman, Alberta’s New Democrat Shadow Minister of Education, said the UCP government continues to insult teachers with an offer that does not meet their needs or improve classroom conditions, in a statement.
She said that Alberta’s NDP stand with teachers, parents and students will all ultimately suffer by these actions.
“It is disappointing the UCP government has let it get to this point and now thousands of Alberta teachers will hit the picket lines, while parents are scrambling to make arrangements, and our kids’ learning is put on hold,” her statement reads.
“Premier Danielle Smith and her UCP government have pushed Alberta’s education system to a breaking point by underfunding classrooms at the lowest level in the country for years. They need to come back to the table to negotiate in good faith and offer a deal that works to ensure Alberta teachers are valued and treated fairly.”
Deborah Yedlin, President and CEO at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce said that education plays a vital role in sustaining our economy, as it allows parents and caregivers to participate in the workforce.
“Not only will a strike set students back, it will also ripple through our economy, directly impacting both working families and the businesses that depend on them,” Yedlin’s statement reads.
“At a time when we are facing productivity challenges and overall economic uncertainty, this will not be helpful. Additionally, education is about Alberta’s economic future, and we cannot afford to compromise our ability to educate the next generation.”
It is critical that negotiations between the Alberta government and the ATA are approached with a high degree of urgency, according to Yedlin, as a prolonged disruption to educational services will impede student learning and development while creating economic strain across the province.
“We encourage both sides to return to the negotiating table and work towards a fair, timely agreement that prioritizes the wellbeing of families, teachers and the broader economy.”
