Tutoring During Labour Action

Teachers may experience internal conflict during strike action, especially regarding their duty to 
student learning. It’s natural for teachers to want to support students directly, but members must
remember that strike action is a collective effort aimed at protecting working conditions for all 
teachers, which ultimately benefits students, as well. Individual actions that bypass the strike can 
weaken collective efforts.

Guidance for Teachers
• Regardless of labour action, teachers should never tutor (for money) students they currently 
teach. Doing so would create a perception problem (since they are already being paid for 
instruction) and could also lead to an Alberta Teaching Profession Commission complaint.
• During the strike, teachers may continue to pursue alternative income opportunities, such as 
tutoring students they don’t teach. However, taking on additional tutoring clients during a 
strike is bad optics and may extend the strike, since it prevents parents and students from
seeing the full impact of the labour action.
• Setting up a tutoring service to generate extra income during a strike raises similar concerns.
• Members may experience financial pressures during a strike. While understandable, 
depending on the use of familiar skill sets to earn income might hinder collective efforts and 
prolong the strike.

WORTH SHARING
To be effective, strike action depends on the collective commitment of all members. The Alberta 
Teachers’ Association recommends that individual teachers avoid taking actions that could 
weaken collective effort or extend the strike. This includes tutoring students they currently teach, 
setting up tutoring services for students during the strike or significantly expanding side work in 
ways that make the strike less visible to parents and the public. While financial pressures during 
a strike are real and understandable, members must carefully consider how their personal 
decisions affect the collective effort. Staying united ensures that the strike meets its goals and 
protects the interests of all teachers across the province. 

Read the full Worth Knowing.
Questions? Contact Teacher Employment Services at 1-800-232-7208.
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