 WORTH KNOWING The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) Central Table Bargaining Committee (CTBC) met with representatives of the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) on October 2 and 3, 2024. Bargaining focused on proposals related to group health benefits, sick leave and teacher professionalism. The tone around the bargaining table has changed somewhat as discussions have become more challenging. Even so, conversations remain cordial, and the CTBC successfully signed off on an item important to substitute teachers’ obligation to fulfill employer requirements. There continue to be challenges in securing language related to data collection, which is needed to address class sizes and complexity. The bargaining dial has moved from green to yellow to reflect the change in tone and the increased difficulty in discussing the latest items. The next bargaining dates are October 28 and 29, 2024. Salary and working conditions will be discussed. To ensure that you have a full understanding of what’s happening throughout bargaining, keep up to date through the Members Only area of the ATA website. Please ensure that new teachers in your local are up to date. It can take some time for our newest members to create an online profile, which allows them to access the Members Only area and sign up for breaking news. Local presidents, Teacher Welfare Committee chairs and local communications officers should connect with new teachers to ensure that they receive the latest bargaining information. Be sure to visit the Bargaining Updates page and to review the approved initial proposal. The CTBC appreciates members’ support. Please continue to show solidarity by wearing Red for Ed on bargaining dates. Stay connected and involved through our social media sites: Facebook (@ABteachers), Instagram (@abteachers) and X (@albertateachers). WORTH SHARING Show solidarity and support by wearing Red for Ed on the next bargaining dates: October 28 and 29. Stay connected and involved through our social media sites. #WeAreATA   WORTH DOING Retirement and Financial Wellness Workshops Are you considering retiring in the next 10 years? It’s a good idea to get your ducks in a row well in advance. Attend an Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) online Pre-Retirement Workshop to start planning early. These sessions are helpful if you know your retirement date, but even if you don’t, you need to understand the retirement process, when you need to start filling out applications and how much money you will have during your retirement. Lifestyle planning is also important. Will you travel? Will you participate in other retirement pastimes (such as golf, lawn bowling or pickleball)? You should have some insight into what lifestyle you would like to have when you stop teaching and how much that will cost. This workshop will answer all your questions. Together, teachers and their pension partner will explore planning for retirement, the changing character of retirement and the process of making important decisions. You will learn about financial and lifestyle planning before, during and after retirement from a teacher’s perspective. The workshop will investigate various aspects of retiring, including building a financial plan, the Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund (pension plan), wills and estates, benefits, and lifestyle planning for a successful and rewarding retirement. Choose one of the sessions below and watch for a link to register which will be posted approximately one month prior to each event date: https://teachers.ab.ca/events. Note that Pre-Retirement Workshops are all-day sessions (9:00 am–3:00 pm). Teachers in All Regions
This evening retirement information session offers general information on the Alberta teachers’ pension plan, planning personal savings, Federal benefits and other retirement income sources for early service teachers. The session’s focus is on forward planning early in a teacher’s career, while emphasizing debt reduction and savings planning. Pension partners are also encouraged to attend.
Retirement Planning for Women This session focuses on retirement planning for female teachers. Women and men face different challenges in their lives, and those challenges can have financial consequences. Women live longer, which means they will likely spend more years alone; therefore, they will need more retirement savings, so they don’t outlive their money. Teachers will have the opportunity to engage in an interactive workshop, which aims to improve women’s financial literacy and confidence.
Capital Planning Presentations Join Capital Planning to dive into specific financial wellness topics:
WORTH SHARING Financial planning can be a daunting task. Ensure you have the information you need by attending a Workshop this school year. #WEAREATA  |
Updates from ATA ProvincialArchives
November 2024
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