Local bargaining has started in earnest now that a central table deal has been reached and summer break is over, said Sean Brown, the ATA’s associate co-ordinator of collective bargaining.
Local Teacher Welfare Committees (TWCs) are currently reviewing and revising the surveys that they will roll out within their individual bargaining units this fall.
“Local bargaining is the final step in the overall process of finalizing a collective agreement with both central and local terms for Alberta teachers,” Brown said. “I encourage teachers to share their views with their local TWCs and stay informed of the issues that are most relevant within their jurisdictions.”
Central table bargaining concluded in June with Alberta’s teachers narrowly accepting a mediator’s recommendations for central table bargaining. Those recommendations will be incorporated into the 61 collective agreements between school boards and each local bargaining unit.
The goal will be to complete most of the local negotiations during this school year, but some bargaining units will likely require mediation and negotiations that could continue into the next school year, Brown said.
“While we are expecting some challenging conversations with employers, these are important conversations that continue to build the meaningful relationships at the local level.”