HIRING 3,000 TEACHERS: Why the ATA Filed 61 Grievances

Questions have been raised about the Alberta Teachers’ Association’s (ATA) decision to file 61 grievances regarding the commitment to hire 3,000 additional teachers. This Worth Knowing article explains why this action was necessary.

What the Legislatively Imposed Settlement Says
The legislatively imposed settlement includes a commitment to hiring 3,000 additional full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers over three school years—1,000 FTE per year. Although the settlement was imposed by legislation, teacher hiring is carried out by school divisions, not by the ATA or the Government of Alberta. The Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) is responsible for ensuring employers comply with the imposed language.

Why Grievances Were Required in All 61 Divisions
Because hiring decisions are made at the school division level, the ATA was required to file 61 separate grievances, one for each public, Catholic and francophone division in Alberta.

During central table discussions, the ATA’s clear understanding was that the 3,000 teachers were to be net new hires, in addition to positions already funded through budget 2025.

The ATA alleges that subsequent statements from the Government of Alberta, suggesting that these teachers were already included in the budget, fundamentally change the meaning of the commitment.

If the positions were already planned and funded, the hiring language becomes meaningless and calls into question whether the intended goals—reducing class size and addressing classroom complexity—will be achieved. The letter of understanding on teacher recruitment to support classroom complexity issues states that the ATA and TEBA recognize that additional investments in the education system will provide classroom supports to address increasing p 2 classroom complexity. The ATA holds that “additional investments” are in addition to the budget, since there were many months between budget 2025 and the discussions on teacher recruitment.

What the ATA Is Seeking

Through the grievances, the ATA is seeking remedies that include
• a declaration that 3,000 teachers must be hired in addition to existing budgeted positions;
• an order requiring compliance with the hiring commitment starting in the 2025/26 school year; and
• financial remedies, if necessary, as determined through arbitration.

Related Labour Relations Board Complaint

The ATA has also filed a complaint alleging bargaining in bad faith regarding the hiring commitment. That complaint has been placed in abeyance to preserve timelines while the ATA focuses on the Bill 2 injunction hearing scheduled for early March.

The Bottom Line
The ATA is acting to ensure that commitments made to—and imposed on—teachers are real, meaningful and delivered as intended, not reinterpreted after the fact.

Further updates will be provided as these matters move forward.

​WORTH SHARING The legislatively mandated settlement included a commitment to hire 3,000 additional teachers to address class size and classroom complexity. The ATA has filed grievances across all school divisions to ensure this commitment is delivered as promised and not redefined after the fact. Smaller classes and better learning conditions require real, net-new teachers. Read the full Worth Knowing. Questions? Contact Teacher Employment and Membership Support at 1-800-232-7208. #WeAreATA