(rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

after months of negotiations

Red Deer Catholic school division and teachers ratify mediator’s recommendations

Mar 30, 2024 | 9:52 AM

Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools, and teachers represented by the Alberta Teachers’ Association, have agreed to the recommendations of a mediator after months of tough, and at times messy, collective bargaining.

One major improvement teachers and substitutes receive is related to funds for professional development opportunities.

Sara Lambert, ATA Local 80 president, shares that more than 70 per cent of the population voted, with about 67 per cent of those voting in favour of the recommendations. She also notes that not all details of the recommendations can be disclosed at this time.

Both sides agreeing to the recommendations averts the need for strike action, which Lambert acknowledges no one ever wants.

“Striking is never our goal. We have to have a reason. It’s the last option because it affects students, our livelihood, and every single stakeholder within the education field,” she says.

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“There were a lot of difficult conversations that happened. Teachers really want a better and renewed relationship with our employer [in this case, the school division]. It’s what we need and what I think is our biggest problem and challenge.”

The new agreement technically runs from August 2020 through August 2024. The next one won’t be bargained for until teachers strike a new deal with the province, likely in a couple years, Lambert points out.

“Collective bargaining for teachers in Alberta is a two-phase process where matters of significant cost and broad impact are negotiated at a central table, followed by local negotiations between individual school divisions and ATA bargaining units on other more locally specific matters,” the association explains in a release.

In a statement, Red Deer Catholic’s board of trustees vice chair, Dorraine Lonsdale, spoke about the news.

“After carefully considering the mediator’s recommendations, received on March 22, 2024, the board of trustees successfully ratified the recommendations,” says Lonsdale.

“Moving forward, the division will continue working with our highly valued teachers to deliver programs and services for our students and communities.”

Earlier this month, it was reported that the ATA was accusing Red Deer Catholic of taking “unusual” steps during negotiations, accusing the division of asking the mediator to remove themself from the process. The ATA said the division was trying to, “waste time and thwart a settlement.”

The division clapped back, calling the ATA’s assertions a “surprise.”

Red Deer Catholic was the 59th of 61 school divisions to ratify during this current term of bargaining.

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