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Provincial Labour Negotiations with the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA)

Posted on Oct 17, 2025

This webpage serves as the central hub for information related to potential labour action. Division staff and families will receive a direct email if actionable information becomes available.

The Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education respects the integrity of the collective bargaining process and acknowledges its importance in achieving fair and constructive outcomes. We value the strong working relationship we share with ATA Local No. 39, and are grateful for the ongoing professionalism, dedication, and care our teachers demonstrate each and every day in service to our students.
 
We understand that the uncertainty of labour action can be concerning to all parties involved. We will continue to provide updates on this webpage as new information becomes available and will connect with division staff and families via direct email if actionable information becomes available.

Important Labour Negotiations Updates:

The timeline below outlines recent activity related to Provincial Labour Negotiations.

October 17, 2025 @ 1:52pm: Premier Danielle Smith, Minister of Finance Nate Horner, and Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides issued the following statement.

Release: ATA rejects offer of enhanced mediation

October 17, 2025 @ 12:50pm: Alberta Education announces November diploma exams will be optional for students.

Release: Diploma exam update

October 17, 2025 @ 11:00am: The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) has declined a request from the Government of Alberta for teachers to return to the classroom on October 20 under a proposed "enhanced mediation" process that would exclude student–teacher ratios from the discussion.

Release: ATA rejects government’s biased mediation proposal

October 10, 2025: Alberta’s government is providing new supports to help parents and students manage financial and learning challenges during these uncertain times.

Additional parent payment for children with complex care needs

The impacts of a teacher strike can be especially challenging for families of children with complex care needs, who may have limited access to suitable respite and child care options. That’s why Alberta’s government is providing additional financial support for those with active Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) agreements who are affected by the strike.

Families of children with active FSCD agreements who are enrolled in schools affected by the strike will be eligible for the following supports:

  • $30 per child per instructional day for children 12 and under
  • $60 per child per instructional day for children 13 years and older

Release: Supports for families during teacher strike

October 9, 2025: According to news sources, the Alberta Teachers' Association and the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association are scheduled to return to the bargaining table on Tuesday, October 14.

October 8, 2025: Letter to Alberta parents/guardians from Demetrios Nicolaides, 
Minister of Education and Childcare

Highlights:

October 6, 2025 @ 5:54 pm: Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association Chair Scott McCormack issued a statement addressing TEBA issuing lockout notice to the ATA.

October 2, 2025: Labour Action Q&A   

September 30, 2025 @ NOON: Premier Danielle Smith was joined by Minister Nate Horner and Minister Demetrios Nicolaides to provide an important update on the support measures we are putting in place for families, should in-school learning be disrupted next week.

Alberta’s government is introducing a new payment program for parents. This program would be available to parents and guardians of students aged 12 and under who attend a public, separate or francophone school and are affected by teacher strikes.

Eligible parents or guardians would receive $30 per day, or $150 per week, per student for the duration of the ATA’s labour action. The first payment will be made on Oct. 31.

More information about the application process will be available shortly. To get ready, parents can set up an Alberta.ca verified account at alberta.ca/alberta-ca-account.

September 29, 2025: The ATA has completed its vote and has rejected the tentative agreement reached last week. This means the tentative agreement will not proceed, and the previously announced strike notice set to begin October 6, 2025, remains in effect. 

September 24, 2025: The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) made an offer to the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA). Both parties have agreed to form a tentative agreement based on shared priorities and members will vote on the tentative agreement in the coming days.

September 18, 2025: President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner issued a statement about the ongoing negotiations with TEBA and the ATA:

September 15, 2025: President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner issued a statement about the ongoing negotiations with TEBA and the ATA:

September 12, 2025: The Alberta Teacher's Association gave formal notice that the ATA will commence a strike on October 6, 2025 at 12:01 a.m.

September 10, 2025 @ 11:40 AM: President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner issued a statement about the ongoing negotiations with TEBA and the ATA:

September 10, 2025 @ 11:00 AM: At 11:00 AM, the Alberta Teachers’ Association made a live announcement about the ongoing labour dispute with the province. 

Following the live announcement, a release was issued by the ATA:

August 29, 2025: The Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) held a vote to request permission to respond if Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) strike action occurs. The Labour Relations Board has now confirmed that the vote is valid. TEBA has said there are no plans for a proactive lockout. The vote was held to make sure TEBA is ready to respond, if needed.

  • On August 26, 2025, the Board of Trustees passed this motion, related to the TEBA vote: “Be it resolved that the Board of Trustees for the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education direct Trustee Mastel, acting as the Board's Teacher Employer Bargaining Association Trustee Representative, to vote in the negative in the Lockout Poll to be conducted on August 29, 2025”

August 29, 2025: The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) issued a media release.

August 28, 2025: President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner and Minister of Education and Childcare Demetrios Nicolaides issued a joint statement on negotiations with the ATA.

August 2025: Negotiations between the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) are ongoing.  The Alberta Teachers’ Association and the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) are scheduled to return to the table on August 26, 2025. 

June 10, 2025: Results of the formal strike vote were announced.

The ATA is now in a legal position to give notice to strike if they choose to do so (within 120 days of the strike vote). Now having a strike mandate from their membership, the ATA would have to give a minimum of 72 hours notice if they choose to withdraw their services.

June 5-8, 2025: The ATA held a formal strike vote, following the rejection of the mediator's recommendations.

May 6, 2025: The ATA announced that its members rejected the mediator's recommendations.

May 2-5, 2025: The ATA conducted a vote among its members based on the mediator's recommendations.

Late March 2025: A mediator issued a set of recommended settlement terms.

January 2025: Negotiations between the ATA and TEBA went to mediation.

August 2024: The collective agreement between the ATA and TEBA expired.

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What could happen next? 

  • Now having a strike mandate from their membership, the ATA would have to give a 72-hour notice if they choose to withdraw their services. 
  • Within the 72-hour notice period, school boards across the province would begin to enact contingency plans. 
  • Division communications would share applicable information with support staff and families via direct email.

How does bargaining work?

  • In Alberta, teacher bargaining takes place at two levels:
    • Central bargaining (currently underway) occurs at the provincial level and addresses broad, province-wide matters, such as salary and general working conditions. This is the process that is occurring now. 
    • The parties involved at this stage include the ATA’s Central Table Bargaining Committee (CTBC) and the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA).
    • Bargaining at a local level occurs following the central bargaining process. 

Who are ATA Members in a school division? 

  • All certificated teaching staff, including school-based leadership teams such as principals and vice principals, are members of the ATA.