(File photo/Supplied)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

Education

Responsibility to end strike, ATA says, lies ‘squarely with government’

Oct 15, 2025 | 2:36 PM

The union representing Alberta’s 51,000 teachers says it has presented a counter-offer to the provincial government, in an effort to get kids back to school.

A provincewide strike began Oct. 6.

In a statement released Wednesday, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) says its counter-offer includes a phased-in approach to achieving manageable student-teacher ratios, as well as a fair counter to the government’s three per cent annual salary increase offer, and new language designed to begin addressing the increasing complexity in classrooms.

They clarify that this is what teachers have been asking for.

“Now, we expect the government to respond reasonably, in good faith, and not through the media but at the bargaining table where these discussions belong,” said President Jason Schilling.

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“The responsibility to end this disruption now lies squarely with the government. The next move is theirs to do what Albertans expect of them—to fund education properly and get students back in class.”

Teachers are not being paid during the strike, which they added on Wednesday was a painful, yet necessary step to get their point across that Alberta’s 740,000 students deserve better.

They say teachers are ready to return to classrooms immediately.

Earlier on Wednesday, Alberta’s finance minister, Nate Horner, said there is a major divide between what the union wants and the government is willing to spend.

As reported by The Canadian Press, the new contract proposal from the ATA was the subject of a bargaining meeting Tuesday, which was the first since the strike began.

Nate Horner, in an interview with Corus Radio host Shaye Ganam, said the union “shot for the moon” with its latest proposal, as it would require almost $2 billion more in spending than the government had set aside for a deal.

“In that sense, I’m sure that their membership would be pleased with this ask,” Horner said Wednesday.

He added the government’s spending cap for a contract is $2.6 billion, which would be spread out over four years.

Teachers overwhelmingly rejected the last government offer in September, which included a 12 per cent pay raise over four years and a government promise to hire 3,000 more educators to address overcrowded classrooms.

Horner called that offer “extremely fair.”

(with files from The Canadian Press)