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EDMONTON — Alberta teachers will vote this weekend on a tentative contract agreement reached with their employers, a decision that could determine whether schools across the province face a strike next month.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association and the provincial bargaining body announced Wednesday that they had signed a Memorandum of Agreement, less than two weeks before the union’s Oct. 6 strike deadline.
About 51,000 public, Catholic and francophone teachers are eligible to vote online from Saturday morning until Monday afternoon, with results expected shortly after polls close. In June, teachers voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike after rejecting an earlier offer.
While specific terms of the tentative deal have not been publicly released, it is expected to include annual wage increases, a commitment to hire 3,000 additional teachers and 1,500 educational assistants over the next three years, and changes to salary grids across school divisions. Provisions on substitute teacher pay and premium pay for skilled trades instructors are also part of the package.
The agreement was reached after the union presented a proposal last week, prompting both sides to accelerate talks. Analysts say the relative silence from negotiators in recent days suggests the discussions had entered a more serious stage.
If ratified, the deal would avert a provincewide walkout and provide labour stability for the school year. If rejected, teachers remain on course to strike Oct. 6.
Parents are being advised to prepare for uncertainty. The YMCA of Northern Alberta has already arranged contingency child care and day camp programming in Edmonton to support families in the event of a strike.
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