Aspen View School Division superintendent Brian LeMessurier applauded Fridayís news that the Alberta government and the Alberta Teachersí Association have struck a deal for four years of labour peace.
ìIf we can get this settled so that we can all sit down at the table again and commit our energy and time to teaching and learning, then the better students will be served,î LeMessurier said.
ìItís great news,î said Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater MLA and Minister of Education Jeff Johnson. ìItís very exciting that we were able to get a long-term deal that is going to bring stability to the classroom again.î
Johnson stated the deal was not only good for the government and the ATA, but for the students. ìIt means we are going to have another four years like the last five years where the classrooms were not disrupted and teachers were focused on what they wanted to do, and what they do best, which is teach.î
As for the impact of this agreement on local school boards, LeMessurier said they are still unsure of the economic impact, but is glad the focus will be shifting back to students.
ìWe donít know about all the economic implications yet because the terms of that agreement were just made available to us this morning.î LeMessurier said. ìWe are sifting through that now. We are in the process of going through the figures, and determining how Aspen View will be impacted by the terms of that offer.î
As for the terms of the negotiation, Johnson said they are similar to the last deal that was presented.
ìThe salaries will be frozen for three years,î Johnson said. ìWe provided the ATA with an agreement that we wouldnít change legislation over the next four years that affect the teaching professions.î
Johnson stated that many past deals the ATA tried to have legislation frozen.
ìA lot of the aspects that have to do with their terms of employment, are actually laid out in legislation and they have always wanted some level of comfort that if they sign a long-term deal, that we would not arbitrarily change those during the course of the deal,î he said. ìIt makes sense on one hand, but the challenge is that there are also pieces of legislation that we do need to change that I would argue are not traditional terms of employment.î
Johnson said that as the Minister of Education he is responsible for setting teaching standards.
ìWe canít be restricted from policy and potentially changing legislation because other elements are in that legislation,î Johnson said. ìNow it goes to the local level to be ratified.î
Another condition of the deal was to lessen a teacherís workload.
ìThe concern from the ATA through the whole negotiation was that they were never asking for raises,î he said. ìThey wanted us to address some of their work pressures, and workloads.î
Over the next four years the government is going to try and decrease teacher workloads, and decrease the minimum amount of minutes a teacher is asked to instruct.
ìWe are going to implement some formal reviews and studies about what teachers are being asked to do, that they shouldnít be asked to do,î Johnson said. ìWe need their focus to be on the classroom, and the students.î
Johnson believes the deal is good for all parties.
ìThere wonít be animosity at the local level, and there wonít be job action, and at the end of the day it is great for students,î Johnson said. ìAt the end of the day it is good for kids and that is what we need to keep in mind. I think it brings strength and stability.î
