Catholic school teachers in Fort McMurray are asking school board trustees to take a vote on their latest offer in an effort to finalize negotiations for the 2020–24 term. The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) has applied to the Alberta Labour Relations Board to request that the Fort McMurray Roman Catholic Separate School Division (FMCSD) vote on the teachers’ latest proposal.
“We have put forward a fair and reasonable offer for settlement that reflects the agreements reached between teachers and school boards elsewhere in the province.”
—Shannon Dube, president, Fort McMurray Teachers Local No 48
Negotiations have been ongoing since April 19, and teachers are convinced that a solution is available; however, the division’s negotiations team appears reluctant to provide the school board with this offer. Until now, negotiations have been held with senior division staff and a hired consultant.
At a general meeting held May 15, FMCSD teachers voted 94 per cent in favour of this proposal. If the board accepts the proposal vote, local bargaining will be settled and negotiations will be concluded until August 31, 2024.
Teacher collective bargaining in Alberta includes a phase of central bargaining between the ATA and the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association, followed by a local phase of bargaining between ATA bargaining units and individual school divisions.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association is the professional association of teachers in Alberta and acts as the bargaining agent for all teachers employed in public, separate and francophone school divisions. FMCSD employs approximately 380 full- and part-time teachers in Catholic schools serving Fort McMurray.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association, as the professional organization of teachers, promotes and advances public education, supports teachers’ professional practice and serves as the advocate for its 46,000 members.