ATA rejects government’s biased mediation proposal

The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) has declined a request from the Government of Alberta for teachers to return to classrooms on October 20 under a proposed “enhanced mediation” process that would exclude student–teacher ratios from the discussion.

“Teachers will not accept a process designed to avoid the real issues in Alberta’s classrooms. The government’s proposal is biased, protects its own political interests and fails to address what teachers, students and parents are saying every single day: class sizes are too large, and classroom complexity is unmanageable.

—ATA president Jason Schilling

Read the ATA’s letter of response.

The Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA), representing the government and all 61 public, Catholic and francophone school boards, has yet to respond to the ATA’s most recent proposal. Instead, TEBA has made it clear that it will not engage in meaningful discussions about student–teacher ratios or implement accountable solutions to classroom complexity within a collective agreement.

“The government says it wants a settlement yet refuses to even discuss the issues that caused this strike action. Teachers are absolutely committed to reaching a fair and negotiated agreement, but that requires a serious partner at the bargaining table—one willing to acknowledge the crisis in education and take real action.”

—ATA president Jason Schilling

Alberta has the largest class sizes in Canada and spends the least per student. Teachers, parents and students have been sounding the alarm for years.

“Alberta’s classrooms are overcrowded and underfunded—that is the reality. Government and school boards can no longer pretend otherwise. Teachers want to return to their students, but we must ensure that when we do, conditions will improve for teaching and learning across this province.”

—ATA president Jason Schilling

The ATA maintains that any resolution must include meaningful commitments to address classroom conditions.

“Teachers are standing up not only for themselves but for every child in this province. We will not be pressured into accepting a process or an agreement that ignores the needs of Alberta’s students.”

—ATA president Jason Schilling