At a virtual meeting held in the evening of Monday, April 8, 2024, teachers voted 64 per cent in favour of a mediator’s recommended terms of settlement, avoiding a strike. (Photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

Palliser School Division faculty votes in favour of settlement, avoiding strike

Apr 10, 2024 | 12:00 PM

The Palliser School Division will not be going on strike.

At a virtual meeting held in the evening of Monday, April 8, 2024, teachers voted 64 per cent in favour of a mediator’s recommended terms of settlement, avoiding a strike.

Palliser was the last of 61 school divisions to reach agreement for the current term of bargaining, which extends back to September 2020.

Natalie Townshend, Palliser ATA local president said, “This was a challenging and protracted round of bargaining. We are relieved that an agreement could be concluded without interruption to schools, but the school division has some work to do to repair relations with its teachers. The local is prepared to work collaboratively with the board towards this.”

The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) has been advised that the employer has also ratified the mediator’s recommended terms for settlement.

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The process for collective bargaining for teachers involves matters of significant cost and broad impact being negotiated at a central table, followed by local negotiations between individual school divisions and ATA bargaining units.

The Palliser School Division employs nearly 700 people in schools across multiple municipalities, including Coalhurst, Coaldale, Picture Butte and Vulcan.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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