Teachers in Alberta overwhelmingly support a potential strike. (Photo: Woodysphotos | Dreamstime.com)

By David Opinko

Alberta teachers almost unanimously favour a potential strike

May 27, 2025 | 2:45 PM

Teachers across the province could soon be hitting the picket lines.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) says 99 per cent of the nearly 38,000 educators who cast ballots have voted to approve the strike authorization.

ATA President Jason Schilling says, “Teachers are standing united in demanding respect and recognition for the challenges they experience in today’s classrooms. Settling for anything less than tangible solutions will not be tolerated.”

Schilling adds that there are a range of reasons as to why teachers are so upset, from crowded and increasingly complex classrooms to the apparent lack of wage increases that would lead teachers to choose education as their lifelong career.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Treasury Board and Finance says the recently-rejected offer was endorsed by the ATA’s leadership and was recommended by a mediator. It reportedly included raises that had already been accepted by “other unions and their members,” along with more than $400 million in classroom improvements.

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The strike authorization does not necessarily mean that teachers will immediately walk off the job.

The Ministry says that this was not a strike vote, but rather, a vote to see if teachers want to take a strike vote.

The ATA’s Provincial Education Council will determine its next steps, including the possibility of a strike vote, if a resolution is not reached with the province’s school boards beforehand. The government’s bargaining group says it is ready to return to the table to secure a deal that is fair to both teachers and taxpayers.

The ATA represents around 51,000 members across Alberta.

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