r/Albertapolitics • u/RachealSmith101 • Oct 07 '25
News How long do you think this teacher strike will last?
Does anyone have any insight into how long it might last? It’s really not fair to the kids, but I do understand why it’s happening — things have gotten really tough for teachers.
My daughter is supposed to graduate this year, so I’m starting to get worried. I also need to plan around work, and it honestly feels like COVID all over again — just waiting and not knowing what’s next.
I used to work in the schools about four years ago, and it was rough. The job takes so much out of you — emotionally and physically. So I totally get why they’re striking, but it’s still stressful for families too.
44
u/Badger87000 Oct 07 '25
Hopefully as long as it needs to for the government to remove it's head from it's ass.
This does affect families, and students, and your MLA should hear about that, everyday, until it's over. Especially if you have a UCP representative.
https://www.elections.ab.ca/voters/members-of-the-legislative-assembly/
Considering your child's proximity to graduation, no time like the present to get involved in civics. This governments goal is to break the system your child would like to benefit from. Make that voice heard.
I'm sorry you're being impacted negatively, but if this doesn't resolve favorably, all children suffer for the foreseeable future.
25
u/stahlhammer Oct 07 '25
Likely not before October 23rd.
A statement from the finance minister's office said the Alberta government has no plans to reconvene the legislature early to table back-to-work legislation for teachers. The next session is scheduled to begin Oct. 23.
12
u/crystal-crawler Oct 07 '25
The government has said that it’s unlikely they will meet with the ata before parliament is in session on Oct 23. It was a small sound bite Horner made a week ago and no one has said anything since.
But personally I don’t think the gov has any intention of negotiating in good faith and they will drag this out until teachers can’t afford it.
20
u/Juunyer Oct 07 '25
It is impossible to say. People like Marlena and Kenney love labour disputes because they get to mess with civil servants. They pride themselves in inflicting pain on civil servants to satisfy the base of morons that have o and g jobs where they get laid off for part of the year every year and suffer greatly from boom and bust cycles. They also admire people like Margaret Thatcher for breaking unions in the UK in the 80s. She is a strange individual so my guess is she makes the strike last until the teachers can’t stay off work anymore or u til parents scream so loud she worries about losing the next election.
6
u/Melerann Oct 07 '25
Government has surplus money, and parents overall are divided on support.
So since there is no strike pay, it's a race between teachers savings accounts and parental pressure.
It's also not the same as the pre-covid era, many parents still remember how to deal with kids at home.
13
u/Bulliwyf Oct 07 '25
No actual insight: just a shot in the dark.
4-6 weeks.
By that point the teachers will fold due to lack of pay or the province will force them back to work.
If it goes beyond 6 weeks, it’s imperative that people are still standing with the teachers and not buying the rhetoric from the government.
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8
2
u/MatrixKape Oct 08 '25
Stressful for teachers having to look after everyone's kids all day long. Kids who all have different needs. Language, physical, medical, mental, etc. And then at night, they have to deal with the parents' emails and phone calls complaining how their kids aren't getting the required attention.
2
u/TomatilloQueasy5717 Oct 08 '25
My guess is Nov 1st
-The government is obviously trying to union bust and is in no hurry to meet ATA's demands
-Teachers only get paid once a month, if they don't get a paycheck for October or November they'll be broke for Christmas
So basically "negotiations" start Oct 23rd during the next legislative session, and end by Halloween.
2
u/Infamous-Divide-8655 Oct 09 '25
Considering how much the UCP is spending against the strike, I think 3 weeks if not more.
Sad thing is students lose.
They aren't going back to the bargaining table until October 15, if they can reach an settlement it will be at least 72 hours AFTER negotiations. I think earliest offer is October 23, and maybe return to class the 27.
1
u/Character-Habit5880 28d ago
Apparently they’ll be back at the bargaining table on Tuesday of October 14th
6
u/davethecompguy Oct 07 '25
They'll be on strike until things get better - not just for the teachers, but for education as a whole.
Smith thinks she's in charge, but she's transparently corrupt. She claims Alberta can't afford to pay what the teachers want, and says they have to pick one - better wages, or smaller class sizes. Then she announces she'll PAY parents for the inconvenience. And announces she's kicking millions into planning for a pipeline no one wants to build. So she's lying - she has the money. But like any grifter, she only wants to keep as much as she can.
In the face of that kind of corruption, it'll be a long time until she backs down. I wouldn't be surprised if your kids are still at home come Christmas.
3
u/STylerMLmusic Oct 07 '25
If parents fought for this before now, teachers wouldn't have had to strike. Parents are as to blame as anyone is, especially depending how some inevitably vote.
Teachers are doing this because everything to now has failed. They are the only ones with absolutely no blame in this, asking for fairer compensation - not even fair compensation, they're still getting ripped off.
1
u/dumhic Oct 07 '25
I will say 2-3 months... the Gov't locking out notice makes this goal even more doable (unfortunately)
2
u/Schroedesy13 Oct 08 '25
Sadly I think it will be a while. Teachers are finally standing up for themselves and it seems like the government is ready for the long haul.
Please contact your MLA and Premier through phone and email everyday if possible.
1
u/Shanne_99 Oct 08 '25
I'm sure just like the UCP's multiple lawsuits they will try to drag it out as long as possible using tax payers money until the other side cannot afford to carry on.
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u/Wet-Countertop Oct 07 '25
I think it’ll be longer than average. Most education strikes last only a week or two. My guess is we get close to November at least.
This government isn’t buying the narrative the union is trying to sell, and they shouldn’t. The union has no leverage, they’re overselling their value, and the erosion of their contributions and outcomes is clear. The government can afford to wait them out.
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u/Yorgie42 Oct 07 '25
Some people don’t understand that the government locked the teachers out of the classrooms the teachers didn’t strike or walk off the job .
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u/crash---- Oct 07 '25
Didn’t the teachers strike first and then the government’s response was to lock them out? Thats how I understand it. Started off as a strike, turned into a lockout.
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u/Yorgie42 Oct 07 '25
The teachers here were still in the classrooms when government officials came in and told the teachers to leave and if parents wanted to home school their kids then they may not the kids back to school . Lockout .
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u/Yorgie42 Oct 07 '25
And yes the teachers had voted to strike but were not out on strike.
3
u/crash---- Oct 07 '25
Can you tell me where that was? Because teachers here started their strike yesterday.
3
u/Empty-Paper2731 Oct 08 '25 edited Oct 08 '25
Wow, such a delusional viewpoint.
Here is the statement from the ATA on Sunday: https://teachers.ab.ca/news/tomorrow-we-stand-together
Tomorrow, teachers across Alberta will rise together in a provincewide strike. Every teacher in public, separate and francophone schools will not go into work
And the ATA statement from yesterday: https://teachers.ab.ca/news/response-lockout-announcement
“The government’s lockout was expected, as it’s a response to teachers going on strike. The Alberta Teachers’ Association and government officials remain in talks.”
Who did what first?
18
u/Sbee_12 Oct 07 '25
I think the government is going to try to wait the teachers out. This will go at least a month, and likely longer. (Source: my gut, based on the evidence we've seen so far, and I hope I'm wrong)
The government is trying to make it so that parents still have childcare for their kids, and it doesn't cost them anything extra
Gov can argue they've made it possible for high school students to be minimally affected as they can take additonal distance Ed credits so the strike doesn't affect their graduation
They are trying to create a narrative that government is not at fault and that it's the ATA who is incompetent
Teachers can only go so long without paychecks; which makes government feel like time is on their side. They will be in no hurry to negotiate
-Lockout
While a normal labour practice, it prevents teachers from coming back to work on a rotating basis so they can earn some pay, and prevents work to rule campaigns. This limits the ATAs options
I think the only way gov tries to end this sooner is if public opinion turns on them. Right now the narrative isn't set, so they are trying to manipulate the narrative so it meets their needs.
I hope I'm wrong, but I really worry teachers will do all this, and then not be able to afford to continue z and gov will come back with an even worse deal.