The Alberta Teachers’ Association, as the professional organization of teachers, promotes and advances public education, supports professional practice and serves as the advocate for its members. Editor-in-Chief: Kristine Wilkinson | kristine.wilkinson@ata.ab.ca | 780-447-9476 Managing Editor: Lindsay Yakimyshyn | lindsay.yakimyshyn@ata.ab.ca | 780-447-9425 Advertising: Trevor Battye Advertising Sales | trevor@tbasales.ca | 1-778-773-9397 Designer: John Labots Graphic Design Inc. Copy Editors: ATA Editorial Staff
October 14, 2025
Volume 60, Number 3
Alberta teachers’ strike a catalyst for change and hope
EDITORIAL
here we are, still fighting. Over the years, classrooms have moved away from being truly student-centred. Now, teachers are just doing the best they can with the limited resources they have. That shift is not just disappointing—it’s unacceptable—and voices are being raised loudly around this issue.
the unified effort of every member of the ATA. Teachers are speaking with one voice, organized with purpose, and are advocating together. This moment is a rallying cry for all stakeholders—teachers, parents, policymakers and community members—to reimagine and reinvest in Alberta’s education system. The
same message: “I am doing this for the future of Alberta’s students.” That kind of dedication is what makes this movement so powerful. The power of unity and the belief that progress is possible remind us that even in challenging times, collective action can spark meaningful change. Alberta’s teachers are not just advocating for today—they are building a legacy of hope and opportunity for generations to come. As the dust settles and negotiations continue, one thing remains clear: this strike has awakened a shared sense of purpose. It has shown that when we stand together—as teachers, as communities and as the ATA—we can shape a future where education is not just preserved but transformed. Let this be the beginning of a renewed commitment to Alberta’s students, teachers and the promise of public education. Let this be the start of the recognition that teachers are passionate and professional, and that they know how to get the job done.
Kristine Wilkinson ATA News Editor-in-Chief
T he teachers’ strike in Alberta has ignited conversations that reach far beyond classrooms and staff rooms. It has become a symbol of collective resilience and a call to reimagine the future of education in our province. This moment is not just about contracts and negotiations. It’s about values, vision and the kind of society we want to build. The rallies held across Alberta have made one thing abundantly clear: teachers are passionate advocates for public education, and they are united in their demand for meaningful change. I remember standing at the legislature during a previous strike, a young teacher with an Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) flag around my neck, filled with hope that education would finally become a priority for our government. Yet
This moment is a rallying cry for all stakeholders—teachers, parents, policymakers and community members—to reimagine and reinvest in Alberta’s education system.
At the heart of this movement in support of public education are the teachers who make up the ATA. As public teachers in this province, we can proudly say,“We are the ATA.”The job action is not the work of a few; it is
strike is not a roadblock but a stepping stone toward a more equitable, innovative and sustainable future for schools across the province. I’ve listened to stories from teachers across Alberta, and every time I hear the
I welcome your comments. Contact me at kristine.wilkinson@ata.ab.ca.
To picket or not to picket? Depends on the industry Q & A
place of employment for the duration of a strike. Maintaining the line is so important that unions will incent member participation by making the payment of strike pay to a union member conditional on their walking the line. While a legal right to maintain a picket line is recognized, Alberta’s labour legislation severely restricts the operation of picket lines and
and there is no “production” to shut down by means of a picket line.That is the main reason Provincial Executive Council, acting on the advice of the Central Strike Advisory Committee, decided not to undertake picketing. Instead, teachers’ efforts have been focused on raising public awareness in the hope that parents and ordinary citizens will pressure the government to commit the funding necessary to
government, which is actually saving money (estimated at $21 million per day) every day the strike continues. So instead of picket lines, teachers will exercise their right to free expression and free association in the form of demonstrations and other coordinated activities to drive their message home directly to the government and indirectly to the public. An important responsibility of locals is organizing these events in the school community and ensuring that they are carried out in accordance with legal requirements for notification of relevant authorities, insurance, permits and the like. Effective action sends the message but avoids alienating those whose support we are counting on. Furthermore, such action must not trip prohibitions against secondary picketing by, for example, blocking access to an MLA’s office. The provincial Association is providing support to locals in organizing their events to ensure compliance with all legal requirements and to assist in matters including arranging for insurance if required. Information about rallies is available to local presidents, local communications officers and local political engagement officers on their respective collaborative sites. Questions for consideration in this column are welcome. Please address them to Dennis Theobald at dennis. theobald@ata.ab.ca.
Dennis Theobald ATA Executive Secretary
Question: Why isn’t the Association mounting picket lines? Answer: Most of the law and practices around labour relations generally, and strikes in particular, originate with historical industry practices. These do not necessarily translate well into a public service environment or to the situation we now find ourselves in. In an industrial workplace, a picket line is intended to disrupt efforts by an employer to continue production or maintain services as usual. Picket lines are intended to slow or stop the delivery of materials, the movement of nonunion labour into and out of the site, and the removal of products or delivery of services, all of which is intended to cause the employer to lose revenue and, ultimately, to consider whether making concessions to striking workers might be the better alternative to the financial pain they are experiencing. Picket lines, therefore, are essential to the functioning of an industrial strike and the main tool for moving an employer toward a settlement. That is why an industrial union will maintain a daily picket line outside the workers’ usual
Teachers’ efforts have been focused on raising public awareness in the hope that parents and ordinary citizens will pressure the government to commit the funding necessary to meet teachers’ legitimate expectations for improved classroom conditions and compensation.
effectively prohibits secondary pickets, which are mounted for disruptive purposes by striking workers at places other than their usual worksite. In the case of the teachers’ strike, the usual places of employment, being schools, are simply not able to operate,
meet teachers’legitimate expectations for improved classroom conditions and compensation. Teachers’ strikes are intended to exert moral and political suasion on the government. What they can’t do is exert economic pressure on the
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