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Mediated Talks Between Alberta Teachers and Province Resume Ahead of School Year

The union signals a possible provincewide strike next week if the sessions do not produce a deal.

An empty classroom is pictured at Eric Hamber Secondary school in Vancouver, B.C., on Monday, March 23, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
With a new school year set to begin soon, contract talks between teachers and the province are scheduled to resume Tuesday with the help of a mediator.

Overview

  • Mediator-led bargaining is scheduled from Tuesday through Friday as students prepare to return to classrooms.
  • Teachers voted 95 percent in favor of strike action earlier this summer, establishing a mandate for potential job action.
  • The dispute centers on pay, classroom conditions, crowding and resources, with the Alberta Teachers' Association pressing for concrete commitments.
  • If negotiators reach a tentative agreement, the ATA says members would vote on ratification within weeks.
  • Premier Danielle Smith argues current funding should be sufficient, a position the ATA disputes while school divisions prepare contingency plans for possible disruption.