The Alberta Teachers Association announced on Wednesday that a strike notice has been issued for Monday, October 6th if an agreement has not been finalized with the Alberta government by then.
ATA president Jason Schilling made the announcement in Edmonton, claiming that “the time for half-measure and political deflection is over,” before officially announcing the strike. He says the extended timeframe will provide more time to bargain with the government and come up with a deal, plus to provide clarity and prepare after overhearing concerns from teachers, parents and students. The deadline come one day before the 120-day strike vote validity expires.
The ATA has long been pushing for relief in class sizes, wage increases, and further respect. Through negotiations, the Alberta government has offered to hire more than 3,000 teachers over three years. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she is “as disappointed as everyone” and hopes the strike can be averted.
The last dispute with teachers in Alberta happened in 2002, where about 20,000 teachers went on strike for similar reasons. The ATA has about 51,000 members this year that could go on strike, should a deal fail to reach by the October 6th deadline.
Tune in to Bridge City News resuming on Thursday at 5PM MST for more details on this development.