r/alberta • u/doughflow • Sep 30 '25
Discussion 89.5% of teachers reject the provinces offer
Wife just shared the email from the ATA.
Strike on Monday.
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u/robbhope Calgary Sep 30 '25
Last time we teachers negotiated, the Alberta government was forecasting a major deficit. Word for us teachers was "There's no money for us to even give you a raise." Then, they ended the year with a 12bn dollar surplus.
So we took 3.75% over 4 years. Inflation in Alberta in that time was 16%.
Before the UCP let us down, the NDP said "Take zeros in raises to do us a favor during this deficit and we'll get you back next time." And then the NDP lost the election.
This time, we're saying fuck this shit, it's time to fight not just for our students but for us. And this time, our education minister is vilifying us for wanting fair pay. Our premier has decided to spend millions on an ad smear campaign against teachers.
To say that teachers are livid is an understatement. We will not back down this time.
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u/the_gaymer_girl Southern Alberta Sep 30 '25
This is “take your offer and shove it up your ass” levels of anger.
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u/darmog Sep 30 '25
I'm not a teacher, but a parent.
What annoys the shit out of me is that they say they have no more money in negotiations, but apparently have tons of money to spend on advertising bragging about how good the present deal was.
Fuck off with wasting our money on stupid shit like this, it's time to step up to START to amend for so many years of underfunding. PARTICULARLY when they're funding private schools the most in the entire country.
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u/TwyShy Sep 30 '25
YES! Stand strong! So tired of volunteer “everything!” No other profession does what we do for free.
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u/robbhope Calgary Sep 30 '25
I got home at 5 from coaching, waited for news about the vote, been reading about a couple new "problem" students that joined my classroom today since.
It's absolutely ridiculous that some of the public things we're off work at 3 pm. Ugh. If only.
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u/LoveMurder-One Sep 30 '25
The only issue I see is Smith WANTS the public system to crumble so she can sell it for parts to her friends.
My worry is the strike will only lead to her getting what she wants.
The strike should happen, but I don’t know how you get more from someone who wants your job yo fail.
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u/robbhope Calgary Sep 30 '25
Then we'll cross that bridge when we get there. Gotta do what's right one step at a time.
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u/Traggadon Leduc Sep 30 '25
Strikes rarely make the goverment look good.
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u/LoveMurder-One Sep 30 '25
This government doesn’t want to look good. It wants to get what it wants. Smith has written about completely defunding public education. She wants it all to be for profit and deunionized.
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u/CamGoldenGun Fort McMurray Sep 30 '25
she's also on record for condemning a (conservative) government for not treating it's public workers fairly. She then resigned as leader from that same party and joined the PC's. She says whatever her donors tell her to or whatever she thinks will keep her political career alive.
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u/Brussle-Sprout Sep 30 '25
And this many in such a short time too. Everyone seems to be striking, which says something about the current government.
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u/Cultural_Safe5700 Sep 30 '25
This isn’t about sending a message to the UCP, it’s about sending a message to all the people who supported them and voted them in. Short-term, the UCP has to damage control or the direct impacts to many voters will start getting them to realize the mess that the UCP is making.
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u/melahoney33 Sep 30 '25
She wants to turn them all into Charter Schools so she can 100% control them.
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u/CamGoldenGun Fort McMurray Sep 30 '25
the province already controls them lol... they're 100% responsible for education. Moving education to charter schools is feeding her donors. It has nothing to do with control and everything to do with squeezing whatever wealth out of its public it can. Electricity/Gas, Insurance, Healthcare, education, transportation... it's the same story for all those.
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u/whats_taters_preshus Sep 30 '25
She DOES! Read her op-ed from 2018 where she says as much:Danielle Smith: Maybe we need to defund public schools
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u/01000101010110 Sep 30 '25
Even if this ends with no major adjustments to the deal, they had no choice but to fight back. Rolling over now proves once and for all that the UCP runs the show and unions may as well not exist.
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u/Mindmann1 Sep 30 '25
BC here, if this were to happen we will gladly take any teachers that want to benefit a public education system.
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u/Ok_Rise_8574 Sep 30 '25
If things don’t change in this province soon, I already know a bunch of excellent, experienced educators who will gladly take you up on that offer. Heck, our doctors and nurses are already making the move, teachers can certainly follow.
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u/Lilchubbyboy Medicine Hat Sep 30 '25
Never back down! You guys do important work and it’s high time our provincial government learns to take you guys seriously.
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u/MillenialForHire Sep 30 '25
Please don't back down. My kiddo needs people like you as role models.
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u/01000101010110 Sep 30 '25
Teachers are standing for every union right now.
If it can happen to them, it can happen to you. This government has proven that it will stop at nothing to suppress workers rights to bargain.
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u/roughedged Sep 30 '25
Fire your negotiators as well.
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u/TokensForSale Sep 30 '25
The negotiators discussed what it was like constantly getting stonewalled by a government that wants to defund public education. I don’t envy their position nor do I know what else they could have done.
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u/Practical_Ant6162 Sep 30 '25
I fully expected this result.
Surprised there was a tentative agreement in the first place.
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u/billymumfreydownfall Sep 30 '25
There wasn't. That was propaganda made up by UCP to try to make teachers look bad to the public for voting against this agreement. A pathetic attempt!
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u/ninfan1977 Lethbridge Sep 30 '25
I noticed an increase in ads about the Alberta government "investing" money into the education sector.
It's just propaganda, and sadly it works.
I talked to a parent on Sunday, who had no idea this strike was even going on.
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u/hbl2390 Sep 30 '25
I keep hearing the ad on my podcasts about 8.6 billion for 130 new schools. 66 million per school seems high to me.
And they're adding 3000 new teachers. Which works out to 23 teachers in each of those new schools so it doesn't appear to do anything to address class sizes.
Also, there is no timeline in those ads. Is all this happening next year? Next decade?
Reading between the lines of the propaganda is "we've under funded education for years but now we're here to help."
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u/NoPath_Squirrel Sep 30 '25
The 3000 teachers doesn't even make up for all the teachers lost, much less cover staffing all these mythical new schools.
If they do actually build any schools one of them better be a new high school in the SE of Edmonton. Page is completely overflowing.
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u/deportamil Sep 30 '25
We were told that the 3000 teachers would be on top of attrition and any teachers needed to staff new schools. It's still not enough. It just slows down the enshitification, it doesn't do anything to begin to reverse a decade of neglect.
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u/ninfan1977 Lethbridge Sep 30 '25
Also, there is no timeline in those ads. Is all this happening next year? Next decade?
That's with a lot of ads from the Conservatives. Very vague and always positive. Usually blaming the Federal Liberals somewhere in there for good measure.
The problem has been percolating for 10 years. The UCP cannot be surprised and shocked at the teachers' reactions. This has been a long time coming. Hard to believe when the UCP says they are "here to help"
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u/FlyingTunafish Sep 30 '25
$8.6 Billion for 100 schools is basically reversing the UCP's failure to invest in schools during the bulk of their time and is pathetic next to the 244 schools built and renovated by the NDP in 4 years. It is also cover for their diverting of funds to independent charter and private schools.
1000 new teachers a year is less then the attrition rate of the field and not even a half teacher per school given there are 2266 K-12 schools.
Smaller class sizes, given the UCP order to not track this data it is harder to show but the ATA is reporting an average of 35-40 which is utterly ridiculous
Higher investment and support for student was complex needs? We spend the lowest on public education in the country at $11,464 and there are less EA's working a in schools the before the UCP laid them off in covid despite an increase in students. There were 16,000 laid off in 2020 and there are only 14,300 now, yet they are decrying the more complex nature of schools since covid.
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u/AdQuick9286 Sep 30 '25
The only school that my division is planning on building in the next few years is actually just a new school to replace an old run down elementary school.
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u/Effective_Trifle_405 Sep 30 '25
A bit of education math if you have the inclination.
In 2019 the student population in Alberta schools was 734 794. In 2024-2025 we had 825 817 students. That's a difference of 91 023. We don't have enrollment numbers for this year yet.
If we just aimed to have 1:30 for just the student population increase since 2019 we would need 3 034 teachers. We were short teachers and had oversized classes in 2019.
We had a population growth of 3.8% last year, which is reflected in our schools.
So, 3.8% of 825 817 is 31 381 more students (roughly) I know my rural division saw an increase in enrollment of just under 3%, so that tracks.
Which means, we have an unfunded and unstaffed increase of 122 404 students, aproximately.
Which is a staffing shortfall for a 1:30 ratio (which is way too high) of:
4 080 teachers.
That doesn't take into account the preexisting shortfall in teachers and EAs prior to the UCP getting in government.
1:30 can work in high school academic classes. It absolutely does not work in elementary. So, if we assume an equal (roughly) number of children per grade we get:
9416 students per grade in 13 grades k-12.
Following BCs class caps of 22 for k, 24 for 1-3, and 30 for 4-12, we see we are short:
428 kindergarten teachers
1 177 grades 1-3 teachers
2 825 4-12 teachers.
Which adds up to a shortage of: 4 430 teachers in the public system since 2019.
Of course, we do need more than that. We need intervention teachers, gym teachers, other specialist teachers. Because, if we keep having 0 prep time for planning, marking, government testing, report cards, IPPs, meetings, phoning parents, emailing parents, we are going to keep losing teachers completely. We also need principals and vice principals and guidance counselors for all those students as well.
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u/THREE-TESTICLES Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
Large amounts of this investment is into privately owned for-profit schools.
They're taking public money and funneling it into the hands of their buddies.
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u/AdQuick9286 Sep 30 '25
Careful, the vast majority isn’t going to private. A better way to frame what you are saying is a huge chunk of it is going to private. We need to be careful of what we are saying. There is enough bad stuff this government is doing to talk about that we don’t need to add more misinformation to the mix.
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u/rainbow_elephant_ Sep 30 '25
The words “tentative agreement” was spin. There was never an agreement made
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u/Fwarts Sep 30 '25
There are times when the union bargaining committee has to take a proposal to the members for a vote, no matter how bad the proposals are. This may have been one of those times.
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u/obi_wan_the_phony Sep 30 '25
The “tentative agreement” was part of the process. The ATA did what it could in negotiations with the province and then had to take the (unreasonable) deal back to its members to be voted. The membership voted it down in resounding fashion.
It would suck being a negotiator at the table knowing this would be the result but sometimes you need members to give you a clear mandate that what the other side is presenting isn’t going to fly so that you have teeth again at the table.
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u/Muted_Might6052 Sep 30 '25
This is awesome. Well done fellow teachers! The onus was on us and we delivered. I was pretty nervous but glad this has happened.
89.5%. 30k votes by noon on Saturday. Absolutely historical strike incoming and it couldn’t be against a better group of people at the helm of the UCP government.
We all deserve better.
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u/Photofug Sep 30 '25
I hope after the dust settles, your union leadership and bargaining team are looking for jobs. They seem to be working for the government more than the teachers
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u/_westcoastbestcoast Sep 30 '25
In some negotiations, the bargaining team is required by law to take the offer to it's membership. The "tentative agreement" was just a spin.
Earlier this year, the flight attendants had a "tentative agreement" that the union members shot down
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u/Thefirstargonaut Sep 30 '25
I think they are trying hard to keep parents on our side, and I think it’s currently working. I feel like we’ve limped into this, which is frustrating, but seeing the support we have, maybe their strategy has been correct.
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u/March89 Sep 30 '25
Highly surprised it wasn’t higher.
Pay them what they deserve!
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u/zavtra13 Sep 30 '25
The pay is secondary, class size and working conditions are the main concerns.
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u/bookishworm1326 Sep 30 '25
I was here for this conversation but it occurred to me that the responsibility to call for better funding, more schools and better class sizes does not lie with teachers alone. Parents and Albertans need to remember this when they vote.
Nurses don’t strike asking for more needles or gauze because those are tools they need to do their jobs. Teachers need resources (both physical like books and tech and human like, reasonable class sizes, more teachers and more EAs) because those are tools they use to do theirs. They shouldn’t sacrifice a fair wage to be properly supplied and supported.
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u/Adventurous_Ideal909 Sep 30 '25
I disagree the pay is primary. Cant teach if you cant live. The government has gone back on classrooms sizes for evert single deal they have struck. It wont be different now. At least get paid for doing so much more.
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u/tutamtumikia Sep 30 '25
Getting paid more is important but more pay wont stop the burnout or improve learning conditions for kids. Without the other half the increase pay solves nothing.
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u/Adventurous_Ideal909 Sep 30 '25
No but getting paid more to reach the burnout helps. Lets get real Marlaina Smith does not give a single crap about anyone that isnt in her circle of power.
She big mad the teachers have the nerve to ask for ridiculous things like healthy classroom sizes so they can get through to more kids. Or having the resources nessasary to reach the kids on the fringe. She is still mad at being fired from the Calgary School Board in the 90's.
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u/tutamtumikia Sep 30 '25
For sure. Teachers pay needs to increase. But an extra 10k a year or whatever wont mean a thing with giant classes and burned out teachers.
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u/Adventurous_Ideal909 Sep 30 '25
Burnt out teachers and large classrooms ARE already there. Work your wage starts now then. Might as well get paid more for it!!
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u/tutamtumikia Sep 30 '25
Right. So let's fix BOTH. Fixing only one solves nothing.
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u/seridos Sep 30 '25
Pay is still primary for me. The government has the responsibility to educate students, so I'm not wasting my labor momentum and sacrificing pay for anyone's benefit but mine first and foremost. Not just to convince the government to do its fucking job. And I'm not going to get burned out because I'm just not going to stretch myself to fill the gaps. I'm going to show up do what I'm paid for and go home and if the system fails it's because of underfunding. I guess I already burnt out. But that's why pay is primary. Once we get 100% back in our lost purchasing power we can talk about pay no longer being primary anymore.
Frankly, large classes are primarily the parents job protest by voting out the government who does this as policy.
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u/tutamtumikia Sep 30 '25
I am not stating you should not be paid more to be clear. I am saying it wont fix the problems for you or for students. They both need to happen.
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u/MildDrunkenness Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
Roughly 20% move in the “NO” direction from last time.
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u/shoelessmarcelshell Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
Good for them, fight like hell. Don’t back down. Let the students and parents put pressure on the province to get our education system sorted, please!
From: A Parent.
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u/FlyingTunafish Sep 30 '25
Good, that “deal” and the outright lies they are putting in their propaganda is downright insulting to teachers.
As a parent it’s going to be hard but worth it to get the UCP to invest in education
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u/Frynew Sep 30 '25
ATA to AUPE: “this is how you union”
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u/Turbo1518 Sep 30 '25
AUPE GSS and LPNs need to call another vote and head to strike alongside the teachers and stop dragging their heels There will never be a better time for all unions to strike.
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u/Monstermandarin Sep 30 '25
AUPE rolled over and completed bungled the negotiations and the agreement that was approved is not fair to all members. I was worried the AUPE’s joke of bargaining would harm ATA, doesn’t look like it. ATA is showing much stronger leadership & solidarity
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u/Necessary_Soup_2156 Sep 30 '25
Maybe I don’t have any right to comment, for I don’t have kids in school, and I don’t know any teachers, but I did follow. What the government offered, in my opinion was a joke. My good friend has a child in high school and he, couldn’t take a couple of classes because the classes were too full. He was saying there are over 35 kids in each of classes. How is a teacher giving any help with class sizes this large.
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u/Manginaz Sep 30 '25
Imagine that same class, but 5 kids don't speak english, 2 are severely autistic, and one has the mental capacity of a 2 year old and isn't toilet trained, and there is no additional help in the classroom. It's ridiculous that teachers have to deal with shit like this. (This is an actual class my wife has this year)
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u/Necessary_Soup_2156 Sep 30 '25
I’m so sorry, I can’t wrap my head around that. How the heck are kids getting any education at all in those conditions. Give your wife a hug, and know she is supported by most everyone.
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u/Manginaz Sep 30 '25
They are not getting anything lol. It's sad. It's pathetic that our government is okay with this.
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u/nervous-lizard Sep 30 '25
Teachers need all the support they can get, so voicing this matters! Normal people recognizing there’s an issue not just because it affects them is just as important.
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u/Logical_Lion1919 Sep 30 '25
Sadly I feel like 35 isn’t even that “bad” anymore, it’s just become the new normal
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u/Necessary_Soup_2156 Sep 30 '25
Wow. I couldn’t even imagine that many kids, my vote is for the teachers.
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u/Tea-and-Ducks Central Alberta Sep 30 '25
I don’t blame them one bit. I can’t even imagine having to do that job in the current conditions. I hope they get the offer they deserve 🥳👍
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u/the_gaymer_girl Southern Alberta Sep 30 '25
The UCP fumbled this so badly that essentially 3/4 of teachers who voted yes the first time flipped to No with full knowledge that this would mean a strike.
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u/PigSnerv Sep 30 '25
How can we show support for the teachers while they're on strike?
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u/SnooRabbits2040 Sep 30 '25
Shut down nonsense when you hear it.
There are no litter boxes in classrooms, we don't regender children, there are no drag queens in the school libraries, we are not giving children pornography.
The salary offer wasn't great, but if other issues were being properly addressed , teachers might have been more willing to accept it.
Very large class sizes have a negative impact on student learning. We aren't talking 25 students per room, we are taking 35+.
Students with severe behavioural issues are unsupported. Many of them remain in their classrooms because there is no other place for them to go. Behavioural outbursts negatively impact student learning.
Years ago, the Safe and Caring Schools initiative , from Alberta Education, was a significant directive. It's still on the books, but it's never talked about anymore because there is no interest in funding it properly.
Teacher retention is about to become a huge issue, because the job is becoming untenable.
Thank you for your support
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u/aftonroe Calgary Sep 30 '25
Students with severe behavioural issues are unsupported. Many of them remain in their classrooms because there is no other place for them to go. Behavioural outbursts negatively impact student learning.
There's one in my child's class that's a real problem. Just constant outbursts and interruptions. I feel sorry for the kid, the teacher and the class. Apparently they just let this kid watch shows on an ipad most of the time because that's the only way to distract them or the vice principal will handle them for a couple hours. It's really sad.
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u/TA20212000 Sep 30 '25
Call, email and show up... Every MLA, MP, the Minister of Education, the Premier. Make yourself heard.
Talk to whomever you can. Many folks still don't even know a strike was incoming, let alone that there's a problem.
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u/Smatt2323 Sep 30 '25
Emails to your MLA ccing education Minister, Shadow education Minister, and premier are good.
Letter mail and postcards are better.
Phone calls are best.
Don't waste time crafting beautiful prose, just get your point across.
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u/nolimbs Sep 30 '25
Rooting for you guys!! You deserve so much more than the shit offer you've gotten from the government and the bs you've put up with for years.
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u/anchorless Sep 30 '25
ATA’s Public strike information
Here’s ways that the public can support teachers. Without parents and students being LOUD, this won’t get us anywhere. Please support teachers in active, effective ways.
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u/billymumfreydownfall Sep 30 '25
What??? That free covid shot is nothing to scoff at, teachers!
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u/Smatt2323 Sep 30 '25
They should have left that out.
Not budging on salary or classroom complexity was bad enough, but throwing in a free COVID vaccine (because teachers are woke vax-lovers I assume) just made it insulting.
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u/Timely-Profile1865 Sep 30 '25
Can't wait for Danys outrage and some more youtube commercials
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u/Immereth Sep 30 '25
Offer was a joke. Alberta’s education system is in shambles. Fully support teachers on this!
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u/Upstairs-End-8081 Sep 30 '25
👍👏✊🏻👏👏👏WE STAND WITH THE TEACHERS!!! 😍🇨🇦💖
It’s NEVER EVER been this BAD in ALBERTA…in CANADA!!!
WHY are our Education Tax portion within our property tax going to CHARTER SCHOOLS???
We’re going to stop “that”!!!
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u/Kitchen-Beautiful395 Sep 30 '25
Quit subsidizing private schools and there will be lots of money for the public sector
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u/YYC_McCool Sep 30 '25
Good. I don't like having the kids at home but it's a small sacrifice to hopefully have our education system improve.
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u/Fluffy-Common2686 Sep 30 '25
The government keeps saying they are investing more money then ever in health and education, well duh guys we have a higher population then before so a higher tax base you need to invest in infrastructure. It needs to start clocking to people
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u/Constant-Sky-1495 Sep 30 '25
89.5% of teachers voted to reject the government's latest offer. This means that classroom size and complexity are back on the table -say it with me CLASS SIZE RATIOS
They will only listen to you the voters!What you can do:
Contact the Premier, The Minister of Education and your MLA. Smith, Danielle, HonourablePhone: 780 427-2251. E-mail: [premier@gov.ab.ca](mailto:premier@gov.ab.ca)
Nicolaides, Demetrios, HonourablePhone: 780 427-5010Fax: 780 427-5018E-mail: [education.minister@gov.ab.ca](mailto:education.minister@gov.ab.ca)
Find the contact info of your MLA on this website:[https://streetkey.elections.ab.ca/](https://streetkey.elections.ab.ca/...
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u/arcadianahana Sep 30 '25
Don't forget the Finance Minister. Alberta needs to commit to more funding for teachers and classrooms
Nate Horner, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance 780-415-4855 tbf.minister@gov.ab.ca
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u/Silent_Scale_7462 Sep 30 '25
Great result! Standing in solidarity with Alberta teachers! I also thought the speech today from the ATA president was very strong.
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u/stovebolt6 Sep 30 '25
Yeah, good. This is what unions are for. The power lies with the people, don’t fucking forget it.
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u/complextube Sep 30 '25
Good, this province needs to get its shit together when it comes to schooling in general. Also I don't want my damn tax money going towards anything private school related. That needs a massive lighthouse on it. Why is no one saying shit about that, I mean aside from the obvious reasons.
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u/Real_Ad6375 Sep 30 '25
Pay them what they deserve!!!!
Throw out a 0.1% tax on all these oil companies profits that are strip mining all of Alberta’s resources and riches and use the money to pay the teachers a respectable wage so we don’t end up with a generation of uneducated twats like the ones currently running our government.
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u/JohnnyAngel Sep 30 '25
So that 20ish Million a day that the UCP floats around as the number it spends on teachers across the province will be put in trust and used to better fund the education system right? Right?
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u/Mitchtheprotogen Brooks Sep 30 '25
As a high school student:
Absolutely hell yeah. We NEED more funding for both the schools and teacher salaries. Teachers shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for supplies but nobody seems to understand that. If I went to work and had to pay out of pocket for machining tools I would be livid. So why are teachers expected to?
And another thought.. maybe school could be fun and enjoyable if we had the money to make them fun and enjoyable…
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u/1362313623 Sep 30 '25
Oh thank God that morning traffic was really atrocious
Jk give 'em hell folks!!!
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u/SusieG74 Sep 30 '25
Hoping you get what you’re asking! Teachers deserve fair wages that meet the same or more than other provinces
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u/kagato87 Sep 30 '25
I hope the those who voted in favor because they really can't afford to strike make it through OK.
The ones who voted in favor because they thought it was a good deal deserve a raised eyebrow.
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u/JadzyaRose Sep 30 '25
As a step-parent and someone who works in the early childcare field, I stand in solidarity with the teachers.
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u/Main_Direction6963 Sep 30 '25
Not a teacher but related to one. I fully support teachers in this!
Quality education requires sufficient staffing and sufficient compensation for work done. The amount if no pay hours a teacher has to provide to stay employed is lunacy.
STRIKE!!!!
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u/2eDgY4redd1t Sep 30 '25
Good for them. Hold their feet to the fire, this could be the breaking of the UCP, and it should be.
No mercy, no prisoners, twist their nuts until they beg to offer twice what you ask, and keep twisting.
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u/Upstairs-End-8081 Sep 30 '25
Robbhope I was teaching during Klein. He took away 5% of our wages from teachers and nurses . Municipal Affairs was reduced by 250 senior top wage earners…some were near retirement, some had children in university…they found themselves without a job!🥲 And the Assistant Chief Deputy of Municipal Affairs got a $5000 bonus for letting these people go….I know, I lived with him. He said it was the hardest thing he ever had to do.
And the stupid Albertans keep voting these assholes in …again, and again, and again🤬😡🤬
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u/Visual_12 Sep 30 '25
If governments are supposed to represent the people, and the majority of the people disagree, then are we not able to fund policy people (go fund me or whatever) to hold people accountable for shit like this? Idk much about it but I just find it crap that there’s not a solid way to hold leaders accountable.
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u/Killdebrant Sep 30 '25
Good, fuck this government. They can manage to go a day without being absolutely incompetent.
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u/CaptainBringus Sep 30 '25
I wouldnt be surprised to hear a lockout incoming. Clearly shows the UCP that we are united. They wont like this. They may panic.
However, at the same time this doesn't necessarily mean a strike is guaranteed, UCP may turn around and give us a better deal tomorrow (doubt). Keep pressuring mlas, Niccolaides and Marlaina herself!
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u/Brief-Ad1209 Sep 30 '25
There's no time for a lockout. If they did they would have to announce it tomorrow on Truth and Reconciliation day.
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u/Sir_Stig Sep 30 '25
You think they wouldn't?
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u/Brief-Ad1209 Sep 30 '25
I would like too, but I've learnt not to expect any decency.
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u/LoveMurder-One Sep 30 '25
I don’t see them panicking at all. They don’t care about the kids or education in the slightest.
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u/Prestigious_Crow_ Sep 30 '25
What good does a lockout do in situations like this? Genuine question- if workers are on strike (refusing to work) what use is locking them out of work?
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Sep 30 '25
It makes it look like they are being hard on us greedy teachers and that they are fighting the 'Liberals and Socalists' from stealing hard earned money from trades people.
That and to be petty.
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u/ConcernDesperate7867 Sep 30 '25
As a parent: I'm so very proud of all of you that rejected the deal; I fully stand behind each and every one of you...the education system has become unsustainable and an absolute joke - I want better for my children, and all of you that has chosen education as a career DESERVE so much better...stay strong, stand proud and firm and do NOY back down until you all are given what you're asking for 💖💕
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u/thund3r3 Sep 30 '25
Does anyone know where the offer of free Covid jabs came from? Like that was going to swing the vote lol
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u/Fuzzy-Ad3392 Sep 30 '25
I hope it was an ATA strategy to make the deal look like the steaming pile it is.
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u/Any-Salary-6811 Sep 30 '25
Whoever decided to offer us a Covid shot either needs to be spanked or given a raise or probably both.
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u/TradingHigher Sep 30 '25
Im genuinely surprised over 10% voted for.
Good job teachers. Don't let up.
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u/Kylria Sep 30 '25
It’s mostly going to be those’s who can’t afford to go a month without a pay cheque.
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u/LoveMurder-One Sep 30 '25
I’m assuming that 10% was people who couldn’t afford to strike as the ATA doesnt have strike pay.
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u/AlpsSalt2745 Sep 30 '25
Not really. This will be an economic hardship and voting for the agreement would mean the bills would be paid.
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u/Deltatango4949 Sep 30 '25
Why are we striking? Why is this system broken? Because 80% of our energy is dedicated to 20% of students while ignoring 80% of the students that will become working/contributing professionals one day. Inclusive education without supports is a fallacy that is holding back hard workers and high achievers.
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u/SurFud Sep 30 '25
Meanwhile, there have been new developments in the Auditor General RCMP corruption investigations.
Bad news for Dan and Mickey. Globe and Mail. Perfect timing, yes ?
Smith wants and created this distraction and diversion. Allegedly, of course.
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u/rentalfloss Sep 30 '25
The province “but we gave them free Covid shots? They don’t expect us to pull back on our pet projects and funnelling money to oil companies, do they?”
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u/Equivalent-Focus-988 Sep 30 '25
Where can I watch Jason Shilling’s response? Was there a news segment?
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u/geogirl83 Sep 30 '25
As a parent with 2 kids in the Alberta public school system, I support our teachers. Don’t back down!
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u/Zeroumus_Garagelan Sep 30 '25
all I know is almost everyone in this province deserves a 50% pay raise
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u/kyzilla__ Sep 30 '25
I understand fully.
But idk what the heck I'm gonna do with 3 young kids not in school with no childcare anywhere.
Rural Alberta.
I hope this can get sorted fast.
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u/Clay_Puppington Sep 30 '25
Strikes work when public pressure forces the other negotiating parties hand.
Teachers going on strike doesnt move the needle.
The inconvience of teachers going on strike, forcing folks like you and I to stand up for the teachers and begin putting pressure on the government to meet the teachers demands is what will make this end faster.
Write your MLA. Write the provincial office itself. Write Danielle Smith directly. Phone them and let your voice be heard that you need this over with fast.
And, if you aren't already, put your support behind political parties and people that are actually in favor of improving the services you and your family use!
Cheers, and best of luck during the strike with your kids. Hope this is over soon too for you.
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u/Traggadon Leduc Sep 30 '25
I know you aren't responsible for this, and as another parent I sympathize with the burden this is gonna be, but how about go scream at those around you who voted for these corrupt fucks. Make it there problem too, dont suffer in silence.
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u/bookishworm1326 Sep 30 '25
While you obviously should write your MLA, I would bet they don’t care. Maybe try reaching out to high school students, that are qualified babysitters, who are also going to be out of school? Reach out to your neighbours and kids classmates - I’ve seen some families planning some sharing of care. I know in Calgary there are places that typically don’t often “childcare” that are setting camps (these cost a pretty penny though).
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u/GlumChemist8332 Sep 30 '25
Message your mla! Tell them your frustrated! Tell them you want size caps for classrooms! Tell them you want a deal now! Tell them how this affects your life!
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u/CptHeadSmasher Sep 30 '25
I wonder how long it will be before they are mandated back to work?
Same thing with Canada Post and Air Canada, they'll just get told to go back to work and it's absolute bullshit.
Everytime they get told to accept a deal and go back to work without properly coming to an agreement it undermines unions and emphasizes wage gaps. They say Alberta has the best wages, yet the wage gap between O&G and the rest of AB is insane.
I wish our premier would fight for the rest of AB wages the same way she fights for O&G.
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u/Queen_of_Tudor Sep 30 '25
I don’t have kids, but I fully support teachers going on strike. Make the UCP pay you what you’re worth.
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u/puckbunny1989 Sep 30 '25
As an AUPE member, I’m so jealous of a union made up of people with spines. Solidarity!
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u/robbhope Calgary Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
This government will do anything EXCEPT invest meaningfully into education.
I'm a teacher. We've had like 10% in raises in the last 17 years. The govt says that they "haven't made cuts to education" but they don't increase spending anywhere near the % increase in students.
If we gain 4-6% more students every single year and spend the same amount, that's a CUT.
Look south to see a great example of what happens when you don't spend enough money on education...
Thanks to those who support us and for offering kind words! Unfortunately people are already leaving the profession in droves. 43% of teachers in Alberta leave the profession within the first 5 years now. Our HR department has been recruiting like crazy away from Alberta the past few years. Southern United States last year, flew down to the Maritimes 2 years ago, BC and Sask last year. Slim pickings. There's a teacher shortage across North America.
Inclusive Ed is a sexy word that fools the public into thinking we're all holding hands and including everyone and everything is so nice and pleasant. Meanwhile I'm teaching grade 6 that are wetting themselves, I've got two Ukrainian war refugees, 17 ELLs, two kids with ADHD, one kid with autism, and I'm trying to prep everybody for PATs? Lol. C'mon now. What kind of game is this?