(Dreamstime)

By The Canadian Press

Provincial Politics

Alberta takes teachers’ union to labour board over accusations of false claims

Sep 15, 2025 | 4:04 PM

Alberta’s government says it has filed a complaint with the Labour Relations Board against the union representing the province’s 51,000 teachers.

Finance Minister Nate Horner says the complaint is connected with a document the Alberta Teachers’ Association distributed after setting a strike date of Oct. 6. last week.

The government says the document consisted of false claims, including that Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) does not have the mandate to negotiate class complexity, class size, and supports for students.

The government says it has no choice but to file a complaint asking the union to retract its statements.

The Oct. 6 strike announcement last week came after talks between the union and the government broke down over wages and working conditions.

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Alberta Teachers’ Association president Jason Schilling has issued the following statement in response:

“The government’s legal challenge is regarding a communication sent to teachers on August 29. They now object to our observation that

the government has not provided the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) with the mandate to negotiate on important issues—such as class complexity, class size, supports for students and violence-free classrooms—to improve the learning environment for students and teachers.

The fact is that government negotiators have consistently stated in bargaining that they lack the “mandate,” the money and political authority, to address both teachers’ concerns about classroom learning conditions and expectations for adequate compensation.

Let’s be clear: that’s not misconduct, it’s not misleading—it’s the truth.

Rather than sitting down at the table and working toward a solution, the government is wasting time on legal maneuvers and public smears.

Let’s not lose sight of what’s really happening here: classrooms are bursting at the seams, teachers are overworked and overwhelmed, and our public education system is crumbling before our eyes.

What we’re asking for is a solid foundation for a quality education system and a salary that reflects the demands that have been placed on teachers.

When we say that, we’re not spinning. We’re telling the truth.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2025.

(With files from rdnewsNOW)