Contract negotiations between the province and the Alberta Teachers’ Union have reached an impasse. The provincial government has voted to lock out teachers ahead of a potential strike, and is now awaiting approval from the Labour Relations Board, CTV News Edmonton reports.

The Teachers Employers Association (TEBA) — the provincial body responsible for negotiating with teachers — voted 47-13, according to documents obtained by CTV News.

“In response to the Alberta Teachers’ Union’s strike vote earlier this year, TEBA requested a vote on a lockout from the Alberta Labour Relations Board,” the Treasury and Finance Office said in a statement.

“The vote would give employers the legal right to lock out and would only be used if the union’s actions were harming students and families,” the statement said.

TEBA has 120 days to act, with 72 hours’ notice.

Negotiations between the provincial government and the Alberta Teachers Association broke down on Thursday.

Finance Minister Nate Horner said in a news conference Friday that the province’s latest offer is final:

“The offer is a 12 per cent general increase for all teachers, with 95 per cent of teachers getting up to 17 per cent. That’s what’s on the table and we’re not going to change that,” he said.

He added that given the projected $6.5 billion budget deficit, there’s no way to make a higher offer.

Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides accused teachers of constantly shifting their demands:

“They’ve been talking about more funding, more teachers, better working conditions for months. But now we’ve found that their main focus is on wages.”

In addition to a 12 per cent pay increase, the government has promised to hire 3,000 new teachers over the next three years, he said.

In June, 94 per cent of Alberta teachers voted in favour of a strike. The vote gives them 120 days to take action if necessary, with a deadline of Oct. 7. The union is required to give 72 hours’ notice before a strike begins, but so far no such notice has been given.

Jason Schilling, president of the Alberta Teachers Association, said Friday morning he still hopes a deal can be reached without industrial action:

“Ideally, we want to reach an agreement that doesn’t require any kind of industrial action. We’ll have to see what the future talks bring.”

He added that the government’s promise to hire new teachers is only enough to cover population growth and won’t help reduce the number of students in classrooms:

“When half of new teachers resign within the first five years of their careers, the message is clear: Alberta’s education system is not sustainable.”

Schilling stressed:
“The government needs to come up with a fair deal, because a fair deal for teachers is a good deal for kids.”

He also denied that the union was politicizing the situation:
“We’re just stating the reality of Alberta schools, that teachers are understaffed and their pay is lagging behind. This is not politics, this is the truth.”

Some Alberta students have already started their school year, and others are set to return to classes next week.

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