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2mo ago

Alberta Teachers Launch Provincewide Strike That Shuts Schools for 700,000 Students

Any agreement would require a union vote that could keep classrooms closed for about a week.

Students join a walkout and protest in support of pay for teachers and funding for schools at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken
Hundreds of students walked out of classrooms on Monday, September 22, 2025 to rally at the Alberta Legislature as a teachers strike looms.
Costs are adding up quickly for Canadians.
Western Canada High School students in Calgary head out on their lunch break on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. The Alberta Teachers Association announced Wednesday that more than 40,000 Alberta public school teachers plan to strike on Oct. 6 unless a settlement is reached through bargaining. Gavin Young/Postmedia

Overview

  • Teachers walked off the job on Oct. 6, halting classes and extracurriculars at roughly 2,500 public, separate and francophone schools.
  • Union president Jason Schilling said there were no formal weekend talks, though exploratory discussions continued with no deal announced.
  • Teachers rejected the province’s latest offer by nearly 90%, which included a 12% wage increase over four years and hiring 3,000 teachers and 1,500 educational assistants.
  • The ATA argues more than 5,000 new teachers are needed and began bargaining from a 34.5% wage proposal, citing underfunding, classroom complexity and oversized classes.
  • The government rolled out an online learning toolkit and $150 per week for parents of children 12 and under, as Premier Danielle Smith urged the union to call off the strike.