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4h ago

Alberta Teachers Return Under Imposed Contract After Notwithstanding Clause Move

Labour leaders began organizing a coordinated response that could escalate to a general strike.

James Fowler High School students in Calgary head back to class after the end of the teachers strike on October 29, 2025. The province forced striking teachers back to the classroom with legislation on Tuesday.
Teachers returned to classrooms for the first time since going on strike Oct. 6.
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File photo: Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (right) and Premier Peter Lougheed meet in Trudeau’s Parliament Hill office in 1981.

Overview

  • Bill 2, the Back to School Act, was fast-tracked using the Charter’s notwithstanding clause, ordering 51,000 teachers back and limiting court challenges.
  • The law imposes steep penalties for defiance, including $500 per day for individual teachers and up to $500,000 per day for the union.
  • The imposed four-year agreement runs to 2028 with a 12% pay increase and commitments to hire 3,000 teachers and 1,500 educational assistants, with no class-size caps.
  • The Alberta Teachers’ Association said members will comply with the law, with leaders discouraging work-to-rule as teachers reconsider voluntary duties and extracurriculars return gradually.
  • Roughly 740,000–750,000 students returned after about three weeks away, with school boards prioritizing essential learning and November diploma exams made optional.