Some Alberta school divisions and a labor expert are expecting a bill to be introduced on Monday that will mandate teachers to return to work and set a timeline for classes to resume. Mount Royal University human resources professor Christian Cook mentioned that once the back-to-work legislation is enacted, teachers could be required to return to schools within 24 to 48 hours, with any strike actions deemed illegal at that point. The Alberta government, through Finance Minister Nate Horner, plans to present the Back to School Act on Monday, aiming to end the lockout of 51,000 public, Catholic, and francophone teachers who initiated the strike on October 6.
While the province’s four largest school divisions are uncertain about the exact resumption date, they are advising families not to send their children to school on Monday until the legislative process is completed. Edmonton Catholic Schools anticipates that the upcoming legislation will specify the return-to-work schedule for teachers, as mentioned by spokesperson Christine Meadows. The government house leader’s office did not provide details on the timing of the bill’s tabling or the subsequent debate in the legislature.
If the government employs fast-tracking measures effectively, the bill could be passed as early as Monday or Tuesday, according to Cook. Employers would have the authority to impose fines or penalties on teachers or their association if they fail to comply once the law is in effect. This lack of compliance could have severe consequences, according to Cook, as teachers would not have the option to resist such measures.
Similarly, the back-to-work legislation would put an end to the employers’ lockout that started on October 9. Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) president Jason Schilling emphasized that while ordering teachers back to work may halt job actions, it does not resolve the fundamental issues leading to the strike. Teachers are advocating for a pay raise to account for inflation, along with measures to address challenging working and learning conditions, including inadequate support for students with complex needs and increasing class sizes.
Schilling mentioned that the ATA is seeking a legal framework to ensure schools have adequate staff to support the growing student population, proposing student-teacher ratios phased in over a four-year period. Alberta lacks such a legal mechanism, unlike most other provinces in Canada, to regulate class sizes and complexity. Premier Danielle Smith has suggested alternative solutions to address classroom challenges, such as hiring more educational assistants.
While critics argue that back-to-work legislation infringes on workers’ collective bargaining rights, Cook explained that challenging the law in court would not exempt teachers from returning to work during the legal proceedings. Public sector labor unions across the province are closely monitoring the situation to assess the potential impact on their bargaining rights, expressing concerns about broader implications for democracy.
In preparation for schools reopening, Edmonton and Calgary school boards stated their readiness to welcome students back once teachers resume work. School divisions are exploring various scenarios to mitigate the lost instructional time and ensure a smooth transition back to in-person learning. Some parents are apprehensive about the unresolved issues that classes might resume under, emphasizing the persistent challenges facing the education system in Alberta.