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By Curtis Galbraith

Education

Teachers reject agreement, strike set for October 6

Sep 29, 2025 | 6:44 PM

The Alberta Teachers’ Association says a teacher’s strike will start Oct. 6.

The union says 89.5 per cent of its members have voted to reject a contract agreement with the province.

“The proposed agreement failed to meet the needs of teachers, failed to improve student classroom conditions in a concrete and meaningful way, and failed to show teachers the respect they deserve,” says ATA president Jason Schilling, in a release from the union.

The rejected offer included a 12-per-cent pay raise over four years and a government promise to hire 3,000 more teachers to address class sizes.

Teachers also would’ve had the cost of their COVID-19 vaccines covered by the government as part of the contract.

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The government has said the contract would’ve been good for Alberta’s education system, saying it was strong on classroom investment.

The ATA release says 43,000 teachers took part in an online vote that ran from Sept. 27-29, 2025.

It also says the government is not doing its job of providing the things the school system needs, adding that “teachers have signalled that classroom complexities have not been adequately addressed and an increase (salary increase) of 12 per cent is insufficient.”

“When oversized classes and growing student complexities combine to create learning environments that no longer meet students’ needs and push teachers far past their limits, the government must be held accountable,” adds Schilling.

The ATA says over the previous 10 years, teachers’ pay has gone up nearly six per cent, while being promised that they would be fairly compensated in their next collective agreement.

The ATA says teachers are now taking action and standing united for an agreement that immediately addresses deteriorating conditions in classrooms across Alberta and gives them the pay increase they deserve.

Amanda Chapman, Alberta’s New Democrat Shadow Minister of Education, issued the following statement in response to the ATA’s announcement:

“This UCP government continues to insult teachers with an offer that does not meet their needs or improve classroom conditions.

“Alberta’s New Democrats stand with the teachers, the parents and the students who will all ultimately suffer by these actions. It is disappointing the UCP government has let it get to this point and now thousands of Alberta teachers will hit the picket lines, while parents are scrambling to make arrangements, and our kids’ learning is put on hold.

“Premier Danielle Smith and her UCP government have pushed Alberta’s education system to a breaking point by underfunding classrooms at the lowest level in the country for years. They need to come back to the table to negotiate in good faith and offer a deal that works to ensure Alberta teachers are valued and treated fairly.”

President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner issued the following statement in response to the ATA ratification vote:

“I am disappointed that Alberta’s teachers have voted to reject the tentative agreement for a new four-year central agreement.

“This is the second time teachers have rejected a potential settlement that provided what their union said teachers wanted in response to growing classroom complexities.

“The ATA’s rejected deal would have provided tremendous investments in classroom supports to help alleviate population growth and classroom complexity pressures with the hiring of 3,000 new teachers and over 1,500 new educational assistants in public, separate and francophone classrooms. This would have been in addition to the hiring required to replace retiring and departing teachers.

“The deal also would have provided a general wage increase of 12 per cent over the four-year term, as well as a wage grid unification which would have provided more than 95 per cent of teachers even larger wage increases up to 17 per cent. These adjustments would have resulted in greater salary increases for newer teachers to help address recruitment and retention issues. Increases in northern incentives and substitute teacher pay would also have been secured through the new deal. Alberta teachers would have been receiving the highest pay in western Canada after taxes.

“With over 50,000 new students added to our education system in the last two years, these investments were needed now more than ever.

“It is now up to the union to determine its next steps.

“With two failed ratification votes, I am left questioning whether the union fully understands what their members are seeking. If teachers did not want this deal, then why was it proposed by the ATA in the first place?

“I encourage the ATA’s leadership to take time to meet with their members and gain clarity on what teachers are seeking out of a deal. Students and families deserve stability.

“In the meantime, the government will continue putting Alberta’s students first. In the coming days we will announce the supports available to parents and students in the event of a strike.

“Alberta’s government is committed to reaching a fair deal for our teachers so we can keep our kids in school.”

Premier Danielle Smith, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner and Minister of Education and Childcare Demetrios Nicolaides will provide an update on financial and educational supports available for families in the event of a teacher strike.

The announcement will take place Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 12 p.m. at the McDougall Centre in Calgary.

(With files from The Canadian Press)