The True Post (Web News)The head of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, Jason Schilling, said on Monday that the province-wide strike by thousands of teachers is a clear message against inadequate education funding and overcrowded classrooms that prevent children from receiving quality education.
Schilling stated that Alberta has the lowest per-student funding in Canada, which is the core reason behind the current labour dispute. On Monday, 51,000 teachers began striking for a better contract, affecting more than 700,000 students across 2,500 schools.
Premier Danielle Smith urged the union to end the strike and return to the negotiation table, saying the government is prepared to hire 3,000 new teachers and 1,500 educational assistants over the next three years.
The teachers’ union rejected the government’s offer of a 12% pay raise over four years, calling it insufficient to address classroom challenges and resource shortages.
