Clock ticking on potential teacher strike or lockout in Alberta

Contract negotiations resume Tuesday, but the clock is ticking on a potential strike with Alberta teachers.

With roughly a week before most students head back to school in Alberta, parents are watching closely if teachers will walk off the job or be locked out amid ongoing contract negotiations with the province.

Teachers across the province voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike in June, with just shy of 95 per cent of Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) members in support of job action.

Teachers have until Oct. 7 to initiate a strike and the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA), which does collective bargaining with K to 12 teachers in Alberta, plan to vote on Friday about whether to lock out teachers.

The ATA and TEBA will resume negotiations Tuesday, a week before classes are set to resume for Calgary’s public and Catholic schools.

In a statement to CTV News Monday, TEBA said it is working with the ATA to finalize a fair agreement.

“We have tremendous respect for teachers, principals, system leaders and school divisions for their ongoing hard work inspiring and guiding students,” the statement read.

“Out of respect for this process, TEBA won’t be providing any further comments at this time.”

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According to the ATA, the main sticking points include “large class sizes, increasing classroom complexity, dwindling supports and wages that do not account for these challenges or keep pace with inflation.”

On her radio show Your Province, Your Premier over the weekend, Premier Danielle Smith weighed in on the negotiations and said her government is doing “whatever it can” to avoid labour action.

“It’s about the conditions in the classroom. It’s about support especially when there are complex kids or those who are aggressive in the classroom, that’s what we’re hearing we need to address. So, at the beginning of summer we launched a consultation to see what teachers would propose to us to come up with answers and we hope that combination with offering a fair wage settlement but also addressing the issue of complexity and education assistants we’ll be able to avoid a strike.”

One of Calgary’s school boards is warning parents to prepare in the event teachers don’t return to the classrooms next week.

On its website, the Calgary Catholic School District said it’s continuing to monitor the situation.

“Parents/guardians should start planning now for child care in the event of strike action.”

If the ATA does move forward with job action, it could include a work-to-rule strike, rotating strikes or a full strike.

“We are also hopeful a settlement could be reached before that point,” writes the CCSD.

Families looking for child care options in their community can use the Child Care Lookup tool or call Child Care Connect at 1-844-644-5165.

The Calgary Board of Education says it continues to plan for the start of the school year on Sept. 2.

“We recognize the uncertainty of potential labour action may be challenging for families,” it said in a statement.

“We hope that TEBA and ATA are able to conclude the bargaining process as soon as possible so that a new collective agreement can be reached. We value the contributions of all employees who support student success, and we respect the provincial bargaining process.”

The CBE says it continues to experience significant enrolment growth.

Last year, it saw 142,402 students enrolled, an increase of 4,158 students compared to the previous year.

It’s projecting similar numbers for the 2025-26 school year but won’t do an official count until the end of September.

Of the CBE’s 251 schools, 178 or about 70 per cent, are at or over capacity.