EDMONTON — Voting is underway as teachers decide whether to accept or reject the latest contract offer from the province.
About 51,000 public, Catholic and francophone teachers are casting ballots online until Monday afternoon, with results expected shortly after polls close. The vote follows a Memorandum of Agreement reached Wednesday between the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the provincial bargaining body, less than two weeks before a planned strike date of Oct. 6.
The tentative deal is expected to include annual wage increases, the hiring of 3,000 additional teachers and 1,500 educational assistants over the next three years, and changes to salary grids across school divisions. Adjustments to substitute teacher pay and premium pay for skilled trades instructors are also part of the package.
The agreement was reached after the union tabled a proposal last week that led to accelerated negotiations. If ratified, it would avert a provincewide walkout and provide labour stability for the school year. If rejected, teachers remain on course to strike Oct. 6.
Parents are being urged to prepare for uncertainty. The YMCA of Northern Alberta has already organized contingency child care and day camp programs in Edmonton to support families if classrooms close.
Comments