ATA President Jason Schilling, ATA News Conference
EDMONTON— Alberta’s largest teachers union says the provincial government has deepened a growing rift with educators after passing Bill 2, the Back to School Act, which ends a provincewide strike and invokes the notwithstanding clause to override collective bargaining rights.
The Alberta Teachers Association says the legislation forces about 51,000 teachers back to work following a 22 day strike and threatens fines of 500 dollars for defiance. The government says the strike has already disrupted learning for three weeks and that rapid population growth has added 80,000 students to classrooms in recent years.
The law locks in an average 12 per cent wage increase over four years and requires the hiring of 3,000 teachers and 1,500 educational assistants. Premier Danielle Smith’s government argues the deal balances affordability concerns with the need to keep schools operating.
The ATA says the measures fall short as class sizes continue to grow and behavioural and learning needs become more complex. It points to Calgary alone needing about 2,600 more teaching staff to bring class size ratios in line with other major cities. It argues Alberta still spends the least per student in Canada and that the bill does not include enforceable standards to improve learning conditions.
Teachers say wage losses over the past decade, inflation pressure and no class size guarantees pushed them to walk off the job on Oct. 6. The province says the union’s proposals would have added billions in new costs.
Union leaders from across Alberta gathered outside the legislature Monday evening, accusing the government of rushing the law through in one night after hours of procedural delays. The ATA says the move sets a precedent that could affect all organized labour in the province.
Support is growing outside Alberta. The Saskatchewan Teachers Federation issued a statement calling the legislation an unprecedented act that disrespects teachers and undermines constitutional rights. STF president Samantha Becotte says teachers across the country stand united when collective bargaining is weakened and that Saskatchewan’s 14,000 teachers join those in Alberta in opposing what she called an extraordinary overreach.
A coalition representing roughly 400,000 public and private sector workers in Alberta is preparing a coordinated response that union officials say could escalate into provincewide labour action.
The ATA says it will pursue every available legal option to challenge Bill 2 and defend bargaining rights. The union says the strike has energized public support for improving education and that advocacy will continue until learning conditions improve for students.
Classes across Alberta have reopened to students even as this challenge moves forward.
Comments