WORTH KNOWING
Listening Circle for Teachers Who Identify as Living with a Disability

With the support of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (Association), teachers across the province who identify as living with a disability are hosting online listening circles to share professional support and opportunities for networking and advocacy.

According to Statistics Canada, between 2017 and 2022, there was an increase in disability rates in every province and most territories. To gain a better understanding of the employment challenges that members who identify as living with disabilities face, the Association held the first listening circle in spring 2024.

Listening circles are held online, and any interested teachers who identify as living with a disability are welcome to join.

Upcoming listening circles:
Thursday, March 20, 2025 – 4:30 to 5:30 PM
Thursday, April 24, 2025 – 4:30 to 5:30 PM

Join the listening circle at https://zoom.us/j/99696813155pwd=pG0HGKa2xFGtm6Bbts3Kiqlrw1b3b7.1
 
WORTH SHARING
Online listening circles are held monthly for teachers who identify as living with a disability. This is an opportunity for support, advocacy and networking. Teachers are invited to share this opportunity with colleagues who may be interested. Preregistration is not required. Follow @abteachers on Instagram or The Alberta Teachers’ Association on Facebook for updates about upcoming listening circle dates. #WeAreATA

WORTH KNOWING

It’s Better Here? Campaign and Shareables

In the fall, the Government of Alberta began the campaign “Public Service. It’s Better Here.” The campaign’s webpage states, “A strong public sector is key to Alberta’s prosperity. We’re proud to support our public service with better wages, benefit coverage, retirement plans, career advancement opportunities and lower taxes than any other province in Canada.” This justifiably raised the ire of many members and other public sector workers across the province.

The claims in the ads were not the lived experiences of Alberta teachers. Furthermore, while currently bargaining actively, many teachers felt that the campaign was intended to undermine support for public sector workers in the eyes and hearts of everyday Albertans. Assertions about new schools being built, meaning more jobs for teachers without the funding necessary to staff those schools, caused teachers significant concerns. In addition, even if new schools were built, important questions were raised about funds available for today’s teachers and students to address current and systemic issues relating to complex classrooms.

In response to these ads, the Association has developed a set of shareable images with some associated text for members to use on their social media to help spread the word. With the provincial budget coming out soon and mediation reaching a critical decision in the weeks ahead, arming members with additional resources to keep the messages on point is critical.
These resources are available in the Advocacy section of the website or by clicking here.
You can copy or download the images (right-click or control-click on the image or text and choose “Save image as…” or “Copy image”). Copy the text (highlight the text; then right click to copy).

WORTH SHARING
The Government of Alberta’s fall ad campaign does not reflect the lived experiences of teachers in Alberta. Many teachers perceived these ads as a means to undermine public support for public sector workers. With the provincial budget being shared soon and mediation reaching a pivotal decision in the weeks following that, sharing messages that are on point is critical. The Association has developed shareables as part of a social media campaign for this purpose. Members are encouraged to participate and share on their social media shareable images and text that can be found in the advocacy section of the website. #WeAreATA

WORTH KNOWING
Mediation: Round Two

The Central Table Bargaining Committee (CTBC) met with Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) representatives and the mediator from January 29 to 30, 2025, to continue mediation.

Discussions between CTBC and TEBA are positive, solution-focused discussions and, as a result, the embargo on information will continue. While specific details cannot be disclosed, your CTBC is committed to a settlement that instills hope in teachers, aiming to prevent further decline in working conditions in the short term and enhance them in the future. The parties signed off on language on aggression and violence in classrooms, addressing a key concern for teachers. Along with increases in compensation, these are critical aspects of finding a path forward for teachers.

The challenge the parties have encountered relates to the provincial government’s budgeting timelines. The province is expected to table its 2025 budget at the end of February. This timeline may affect our capacity to formulate a viable offer from the mediation process as it is challenging to achieve the necessary level of specificity to assess the feasibility of any concepts discussed in mediation without confirmed funding figures from the budget. Once budget amounts are provided to CTBC, we will re-evaluate the embargo as well as the viability of mediation going forward.

Both the English and French versions of the Central Strike FAQ documents are posted on the bargaining update page.
Members of your CTBC will be attending Teachers’ Conventions throughout the province. Teachers are encouraged to stop by the ATA table to chat. Scan the QR code available at the table for access to the ATA’s Member Conviction and Opinion Survey. 

WORTH SHARING
The second round of mediation resulted in positive discussions and sign off on language on aggression and violence in classrooms. Once the province tables its 2025 budget and those amounts are provided to CTBC, the embargo as well as the viability of mediation going forward will be re-evaluated. CTBC will be attending Teachers’ Conventions throughout the province. We thank members for your support through social media postings. Continue to wear Red for Ed. #WeAreATA