Alberta teacher strike looms: negotiations continue ahead of school year

Alberta teachers have not given notice that they are on strike and schools across the provinces including those in the Pembina Hills School Division are planning to operate as usual this fall.

However, a province-wide strike remains a real possibility as the start of the school year approaches.

“There will be more clear communication for follow up once the final negotiations are done,” said Brett Cooper, Pembina Hills School Division Superintendent.

“Pembina Hills will take direction from the province with regards to next steps if there should be any type of job action.”

“We are committed to getting this communication out to our parents as soon as possible. Please stay informed by following our Facebook page and/or our website.”

On June 10 the Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) announced that 95 per cent of its members had voted in favour of a strike.

This vote gives the ATA a 120-day legal window to initiate strike action which could include a full strike, rotating strikes, or a work to rule campaign where teachers withdraw voluntary services.

The strike vote was a response to the rejection of a mediator’s recommended settlement. 

The Teachers Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA), which represents school boards and the government, also applied last week to the Alberta Labour Relations Board to hold a lockout vote on Aug. 29 which would allow an employer-initiated work stoppage.

Despite those votes, negotiations between the ATA and TEBA have continued through the summer. and are planned  to continue into late August according to Cooper.

A key meeting between the two parties is scheduled for Aug. 26.

The current negotiations are at the central bargaining table where provincial issues like teacher salaries, benefits, and working conditions are being discussed.

The ATA has stated that the course sticking points in negotiations are classroom complexity, class sizes, and wages that have not kept pace with inflation.

They said that a fair deal must address the growing needs of students while ensuring teachers are properly compensated and supported.

The government's rejected offer included a 12 per cent wage increase over four years and over $400 million in classroom improvements, but the ATA determined it was insufficient to address the systemic issues.

Pembina Hills School Division has stated that teachers remain committed to student learning and that schools are expected to open is scheduled.

The division has also been navigating its own financial challenges including a reduction in funding for the upcoming school year that led to job cuts for certified and non-certified staff.

In the spring board meeting the Pembina Hills School Division discussed dealing with significant budget pressures for the 2025-26 school year.

“We have assigned resources and staff to the best of our ability working with our school administration at each site,” said Cooper.

“While this won't be the same staffing configuration as previous years, we are confident that we have placed people in schools to best support our students with the resources we have available.”

Beyond the staff cuts other supported services like bussing for out of district school students may be affected because of the cuts.

While the ATA has the right to strike, they must provide 72 hours’ notice before any job action begins.