{"id":265355,"date":"2025-09-30T02:16:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T02:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/265355\/"},"modified":"2025-09-30T02:16:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T02:16:14","slug":"alberta-teachers-reject-contract-offer-setting-up-province-wide-strike-on-oct-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/265355\/","title":{"rendered":"Alberta teachers reject contract offer, setting up province-wide strike on Oct. 6"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alberta teachers have firmly rejected the province\u2019s latest contract offer, setting the stage for a potential provincewide strike next week on Oct. 6.<\/p>\n

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A strike would see classes disrupted for more than 700,000 students across 2,500 schools.<\/p>\n

Alberta Teachers\u2019 Association<\/a> president Jason Schilling told reporters Monday, after 90 per cent of those who voted rejected the deal, that the result was a \u201chistorical no\u201d and a sign of just how disrespected teachers are feeling.<\/p>\n

Nearly 42,600 educators cast their votes over the weekend, with 38,113 \u2014 89.5 percent \u2014 rejecting the offer and 4,479\u00a0 \u2014 10.5 per cent \u2014 voting to accept it.<\/p>\n

Schilling said the union, which represents 51,000 teachers across Alberta, is open to further negotiations but all signs are pointing to teachers hitting the picket lines next Monday.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIf government comes with something that is similar to this, I don\u2019t know if my colleagues across the province would tolerate that kind of deal,\u201d Schilling said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cOur members quite honestly are feeling extremely disrespected by government, especially this government.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The rejected offer included a 12-per-cent pay raise over four years and a government promise to hire 3,000 more teachers to address class sizes.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe overwhelming rejection of the tentative agreement highlights the gap between teachers\u2019 lived realities in the classroom and the government\u2019s perception of public education in Alberta,\u201d the ATA said in a news release Monday night.<\/p>\n

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Teachers also would\u2019ve had the cost of their COVID-19 vaccines covered by the government as part of the contract.<\/p>\n

The government has said the contract would\u2019ve been good for Alberta\u2019s education system, saying it was strong on classroom investment.<\/p>\n

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Finance Minister Nate Horner said Monday he was disappointed with the vote as it\u2019s the government\u2019s position the offer would\u2019ve addressed major issues for teachers, such as overcrowded classrooms.<\/p>\n

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