Thousands of people, many of whom held flags or picket signs, gathered at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton Sunday morning to rally for public education, as a potentially historic teachers’ strike looms.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and the provincial government have been deadlocked for more than a month as the parties negotiate a new collective agreement. Salaries, growing class sizes and hiring more people to help with classroom complexities are among the major sticking points. The previous contract expired in August 2024.
“Public education is a foundation of a strong democratic society,” Heather Quinn, president of ATA Local 37, which represents Edmonton public-school teachers, said during a speech on the Legislature’s steps.
“We ask everyone in Alberta to not only speak up, stand up, but now fight for the future of public education, so our children, our families and future generations will have equitable access to education in Alberta,” Quinn said.
Sunday’s rally comes a day before Alberta’s 51,000 teachers are set to hit the picket line. If the union and government are unable to reach an eleventh-hour deal, Monday will mark the first provincewide teachers’ strike in Alberta history.
Teachers last went on strike in 2002. For several weeks that year, more than 20,000 teachers from 22 school divisions walked off the job until then-premier Ralph Klein declared a public emergency and ordered them back to work.
During her bi-weekly radio program Saturday morning, Premier Danielle Smith said the government has asked the union to call off the strike, describing the potential job action as a “lose-lose-lose situation” for teachers, parents and students. At the time, she said the union hadn’t given any indication that the strike would not go ahead.
The government had asked the union to return to the bargaining table this weekend, but they were unavailable for formal talks, according to a statement from the office of Finance Minister Nate Horner.
“Our goal is to keep our kids in the classroom. We are ready to get back to the bargaining table as soon as the ATA leadership is ready,” the statement said.