In the face of an imminent provincewide teachers strike, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has emphasized the need for the teachers’ union to make a crucial decision between higher salary increases or additional teaching staff. Smith stated that due to budget constraints, allocating more funds to salaries would impede the government’s capacity to hire more teachers. This statement was made following stalled contract negotiations with the Alberta Teachers’ Association, a day after the union announced a strike date of Oct. 6.
The United Conservative Party government, facing a projected $6.5 billion deficit this fiscal year, has proposed wage increases starting at 12% over four years and a commitment to recruit 3,000 teachers within three years. Smith defended this offer as reasonable and consistent with other public sector agreements. She mentioned that the union requested the hiring of 1,000 new teachers annually for the next three years, a pledge the government made before the talks broke down.
Jason Schilling, president of the ATA, expressed teachers’ concerns about classroom conditions and salaries, rejecting the notion of having to prioritize one over the other. He highlighted the need for both aspects to be addressed, especially with Alberta potentially requiring around 5,000 new teachers due to a growing population. Schilling criticized the government’s allocation of funds, pointing out that Alberta ranks lowest in Canada in education spending per student.
Schilling recalled past instances where teachers were pressured to accept zero pay increases under the pretext of improving classroom conditions, a promise that was not fulfilled. He emphasized the teachers’ commitment to advocating for better public education, even at the expense of forgoing strike pay. Smith underscored additional spending commitments outside the teachers’ agreement, including $1.1 billion designated for hiring more education assistants and addressing classroom complexities over three years.
Despite the ongoing negotiations, Smith expressed hope for a resolution to avoid disruptions to students and families in the event of a teacher walkout on Oct. 6. She also highlighted the government’s pledge of $8.6 billion over seven years to expedite new school constructions. In response, opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi criticized Smith for what he perceived as poor fiscal decisions, particularly in education spending. He pointed to financial mismanagement in other areas, suggesting that the burden should not fall on teachers, parents, and students due to the government’s budgeting shortcomings.
