Alberta Teachers Strike: 89.5% Reject Deal, Province-Wide Strike Set for October 6
Alberta Teachers Strike: Breaking News on Historic Vote Results and October 6 Deadline
Update September 29, 2025: Alberta teachers have overwhelmingly denied the province's tentative agreement with 89.5 per cent of voters against the deal. Of 43,362 votes cast, 89.5 per cent were opposed to the deal and 10.5 per cent supported it. This decisive rejection sets the stage for a province-wide teacher strike beginning October 6, 2025, affecting all public, Catholic, and Francophone schools across Alberta.
Strike Vote Results: A Clear Message from Alberta Teachers
The Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) announced the results Monday evening, with results posted on the ATA website by 6:00 PM on Monday, September 29. "I'm not surprised," ATA president Jason Schilling said at a news conference held in Edmonton Monday evening. "Teachers in this province have been asked to do more with less time and time again."
This rejection follows months of failed negotiations and represents "The magnitude of this strike would be unprecedented, in both the education sector and provincial labour history," according to ATA fact sheets sent to members.
Timeline of Events Leading to Strike
- May 2025: Nearly 36,000 of Alberta's 51,000 teachers represented by the ATA cast a vote, with 62 per cent voting against the deal.
- June 5-8, 2025: 94.5% (36,862 teachers) voted in favour of authorizing strike action.
- September 10, 2025: ATA President Jason Schilling held a press conference announcing that, if an agreement is not reached, the ATA will begin a labour action (strike) on Monday, October 6.
- September 24, 2025: A tentative agreement was reached between ATA and TEBA
- September 29, 2025: Teachers decisively reject the tentative agreement
Key Issues: What Teachers Are Fighting For
1. Fair Wages
At the time, Schilling said the deal failed to address classroom complexities or increasing class sizes, and a 12 per cent wage increase wouldn't make up for inflation over the last decade. Chapman said teachers have received about a five-per cent salary increase in the last decade, while the cost of living has ballooned.
2. Classroom Complexity and Resources
"Teachers are facing large class sizes and a lack of resources, in a school year where Alberta's per-student education funding is among the lowest of all provinces." The recommendation also didn't go far enough to address classroom complexity, which many teachers say is a bigger concern than their pay.
3. Student Support
The Alberta Teachers' Association said it had pressed for substantially larger salary increases and significant enhancements, including limits on class sizes and reduced hours of work.
What Happens During a Strike?
If the strike proceeds on October 6, 2025:
- All classes will be cancelled. Students will not attend school in person or online. There will be no instruction, supervision, or extracurricular activities during the strike.
- Teachers, principals, and assistant principals are members of the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) and will participate in the strike.
- Families and staff should ensure childcare arrangements are in place for Monday, October 6.
Financial Impact on Teachers
Striking teachers would forego their pay of about $480 a day, according to another ATA fact sheet obtained by CBC. The teachers will not get strike pay, and time spent on strike will affect their pensionable income, the fact sheet says.
Government's Position
The provincial government had offered:
- Three per cent wage increases to teachers in each of four years starting from September 2024.
- Funding 1,000 net new teaching positions across the province in each of the next three school years, adding a total of 3,000 full-time teachers by 2028.
- The government would also commit to funding a net new 1,500 educational assistant positions by August 2028.
Jason Schilling's Statement: "We Will Not Remain Silent"
Without fair wages and improved conditions for teachers and students, Alberta risks driving away its most valuable educational resource: its teachers, says Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) president Jason Schilling. After talks broke down between the ATA and the Teachers' Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA), Schilling said teachers have been firm and unequivocal in saying that the government's latest offer does not recognize the important work teachers do within the public education system, especially when teachers have been disrespected and undervalued for years.
"What we can do now, in this moment, is send a clear message: while we continue to seek resolution at bargaining, we will not continue to tolerate conditions that hinder both teaching and learning," Schilling said. "We will not remain silent as the system is eroded around us."
Impact on Students and Families
If the Alberta Teachers' Association and the provincial government fail to reach an agreement by Oct. 6, education could grind to a halt in the province as 51,000 teachers go on strike. This unprecedented action would affect hundreds of thousands of students across Alberta's public, Catholic, and Francophone school systems.
Despite the effects a strike would have on students and parents, support for teachers has been strong. Student organizations and parent groups have been organizing rallies and demonstrations in support of teachers' demands for better classroom conditions.
Historical Context
Alberta teachers last staged a province-wide strike in 2002. School underfunding and class sizes were flash points in the dispute. The current situation represents the most significant labour action in Alberta's education sector in over two decades.
What's Next?
With the October 6 deadline looming, several scenarios remain possible:
- Last-minute negotiations could produce a new agreement
- The government could impose back-to-work legislation
- The strike could proceed as planned, shutting down schools province-wide
We remain hopeful that an agreement will be reached without disruption to teaching and learning. However, with such a decisive rejection of the latest offer, the path forward remains uncertain.
Stay Updated
For the latest updates on the Alberta teacher strike:
- Visit the Alberta Teachers' Association website at teachers.ab.ca
- Check your local school board communications
- Follow local news outlets for breaking developments
Important Notice for Parents: While we are hopeful that a settlement will be reached before October 6, families should be prepared to make childcare arrangements should a labour action occur.
Conclusion
The overwhelming rejection of the tentative agreement by Alberta teachers sends a clear message about the state of education in the province. With 89.5% voting against the deal, teachers are demonstrating unprecedented unity in their demands for better wages, improved classroom conditions, and adequate resources for students. As October 6 approaches, all eyes are on the negotiating table, hoping for a resolution that benefits teachers, students, and families across Alberta.
Last updated: September 29, 2025, 8:00 PM MST