Latest news with #AlbertaTeachers'Association
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Alberta teachers vote 95 per cent in favour of strike action as talks continue
EDMONTON - The union representing Alberta teachers says members have voted 95 per cent in favour of strike action and they could hit the picket lines in the next four months. Alberta Teachers' Association president Jason Schilling says teachers are sending a message that they are united and will no longer prop up an underfunded public education system. Finance Minister Nate Horner says a mediator's recommendation rejected by teachers included the same 12 per cent pay increase over four years that has already been accepted by other unions. Horner says the recommendation also included more than $400 million in classroom improvements. Schilling says in order to bring Alberta in line with Canadian funding averages per student, the education budget needed to see a 13.5 per cent increase. Nearly 39,000 Alberta teachers voted on the latest deal, and both sides are scheduled to go back to the bargaining table this month. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Alberta teachers vote 95 per cent in favour of strike action as talks continue
EDMONTON – The union representing Alberta teachers says members have voted 95 per cent in favour of strike action and they could hit the picket lines in the next four months. Alberta Teachers' Association president Jason Schilling says teachers are sending a message that they are united and will no longer prop up an underfunded public education system. Finance Minister Nate Horner says a mediator's recommendation rejected by teachers included the same 12 per cent pay increase over four years that has already been accepted by other unions. Horner says the recommendation also included more than $400 million in classroom improvements. Schilling says in order to bring Alberta in line with Canadian funding averages per student, the education budget needed to see a 13.5 per cent increase. Nearly 39,000 Alberta teachers voted on the latest deal, and both sides are scheduled to go back to the bargaining table this month. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025.
Global News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Global News
Alberta teachers vote 95%in favour of strike action, talks to continue this month
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook The union representing Alberta teachers says members have voted 95 per cent in favour of strike action and they could hit the picket lines in the next four months. Alberta Teachers' Association president Jason Schilling says teachers are sending a message that they are united and will no longer prop up an underfunded public education system. Finance Minister Nate Horner says a mediator's recommendation rejected by teachers included the same 12 per cent pay increase over four years that has already been accepted by other unions. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Horner says the recommendation also included more than $400 million in classroom improvements. Schilling says in order to bring Alberta in line with Canadian funding averages per student, the education budget needed to see a 13.5 per cent increase. Story continues below advertisement Nearly 39,000 Alberta teachers voted on the latest deal, and both sides are scheduled to go back to the bargaining table this month.
Calgary Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Alberta teachers vote 95 per cent in favour of strike action
Alberta teachers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, beginning a 120-day window during which negotiations will continue but amid the possibility of educators walking off the job. Article content On Tuesday, the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) released the results of its strike vote held last weekend, with 95 per cent of those who cast a ballot, or 36,862 teachers, voting in favour of strike action. Article content Article content Article content ATA president Jason Schilling said the results send 'an unmistakable message.' Article content Article content 'We are united, we are determined, and we will no longer hold up a crumbling public education system that this government fails to fund properly,' he said. Article content 'The cracks are now impossible to ignore. If anything, they are growing larger.' Article content Teachers now have 120 days to begin strike action if a deal can't be reached. The two sides are set to meet twice more this month, with more dates set aside in August. The ATA's provincial executive council will meet this Thursday and Friday to determine next steps. Article content Over 99 per cent of teachers voted in favour of authorizing a strike in a separate vote last month. Before that, 62 per cent of eligible ATA members who cast a ballot voted against a mediator's settlement recommendation. Article content The union's last round of central table bargaining two years ago saw increases of under four per cent over two years. Article content Article content The ATA's most recent collective agreement expired in August 2024. Article content Teachers are now seeking larger wage increases to counter inflation as well as more manageable workloads, including smaller class sizes and better supports to address the growing complexity of students' needs in classrooms. Article content Most students in Edmonton and Calgary's public and Catholic schools are set to return after the summer on Sept. 2, or 84 days from Tuesday. Article content Postmedia has contacted the office of Finance Minister Nate Horner seeking comment. Article content Article content
Calgary Herald
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Opinion: Teachers deserve better, and so do Alberta families
Article content On April 27, the education minister addressed parents gathered virtually for the Alberta School Councils' Association (ASCA) Spring Symposium. It should have been a moment of genuine connection with the parents who volunteer their time to help improve our schools. Article content Article content Instead, it felt like a hollow performance, ignoring the urgent concerns echoed by families across the province. Article content Article content ASCA is a pillar of parental engagement in education. It supports more than 1,500 school councils and 50,000 parent volunteers across Alberta, yet its funding was slashed by 90 per cent in 2022. Article content Article content What used to be a free symposium for registered school council members now costs $95 per attendee. Parent councils are forced to use their $500 Alberta School Council Engagement Grant — or pay out of pocket — just to access essential resources and workshops. That leaves $400 for the rest of the school year to support essential resources and seminars on mental health, well-being, cyberbullying and support for English as an Additional Language (EAL) families. Article content Meanwhile, Alberta classrooms are at a breaking point. Students face overcrowded rooms, reduced access to mental-health supports and a growing number of complex learning needs. Teachers are burning out. Article content And now, in a direct response to these conditions, they have rejected a government-mediated contract and are considering a strike vote. Within weeks, we could see rotating strikes, cancelled extracurriculars or worse — a full walkout in June, just as Grade 12 students prepare for final exams and post-secondary transitions. Article content Article content And yet, the government insists it's doing enough. Budget 2025 earmarked $9.9 billion for education. But the Alberta Teachers' Association has made it clear — that's not enough. They estimate that the budget needs to increase by at least 15.8 per cent, bringing it to $11.35 billion, just to reach the national average for per-student funding. Article content Instead of confronting the crisis, the government is doubling down on distractions. The School Construction Accelerator Program promises 90 new schools in the next seven years, but our kids need help now. These new schools won't be built in time to help the students sitting on the floors of overcrowded classrooms today. They won't provide the educational assistants, specialist supports and mental-health resources our schools desperately need. Article content As a parent of three children in the Calgary Board of Education and the chair of the Valley Creek School Parent Council, I hear daily from families overwhelmed by this growing crisis. Parents are being pushed to the brink — financially, emotionally and logistically — while the government continues to underinvest in our children's futures.
