Alberta government files labour board complaint against teachers' union over alleged false claims

The Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association TEBA has launched a formal complaint with the Alberta Labour Relations Board, asking the Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) to retract false claims. 

This complaint is regarding a document titled Talking Points, which teachers can use when speaking to parents about the current bargaining situation. The document was sent out to teachers on Aug. 29. 

“The document falsely claims that the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) does not have the mandate to negotiate on important issues such as class complexity, class size, support for students,” said Minister of Finance Nate Horner in a statement. “There are also other statements in the document that are misleading and confusing for parents, teachers and most importantly our kids, who are explicitly targeted by these communications.”

ATA president Jason Schilling said the government has not provided TEBA with a mandate to negotiate on issues such as class complexity, class size and support for students in violence-free classrooms. 

“The fact is that government negotiators have consistently stated in bargaining that they lack the mandate, the money and political authority to address both teachers' concerns about classroom learning conditions and expectations for adequate compensation,” said Schilling in a media availability. 

He also said that accusing teachers of misleading families is insulting to all of his colleagues across the province. 

“Teachers are showing up every day under impossible conditions, and they're not the ones playing games, they're fighting for a better future for every child in this province," said Schilling. 

According to the statement released, salary is the only item that still needs to be negotiated. TEBA’s most recent offer guaranteed the hiring of 3,000 teachers over three years. 

“The current offer provides a salary increase of at least 12 per cent over four years with more than 95 per cent of teachers receiving more through a market adjustment, and would result in the best deal for teachers in all of Western Canada,” said Horner. 

Schilling said the government has not responded to their counter proposal for salary, and they are unable to discuss what a salary increase would look like, as they don’t discuss bargaining with the media. 

He explained that they want to return to the table and reach a negotiated settlement before the Oct. 6 strike deadline.

Horner said in the statement that they will consider next steps after the complaint is addressed. 

“I look forward to a speedy resolution of this complaint with the Labour Relations Board. When we have our resolution, we will consider next steps,” said Horner. 

TEBA and the ATA had discussions last Friday and have no plans for negotiation this week, but that could change. 

Article published by the St. Albert Gazette