The True Post (Web News)Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she hopes the government’s upcoming legislation to force striking teachers back to work does not spark a broader labor movement. Her comments came after the Alberta Federation of Labour warned that invoking the notwithstanding clause could provoke an “unprecedented” response from workers.
Smith stated that if no agreement is reached by the weekend, the government will introduce the bill on Monday to end the strike that began on October 6. She emphasized the government is balancing the rights of taxpayers, students, and teachers.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association criticized the government’s enhanced mediation offer as “insulting” because it excluded discussion of classroom size caps, but indicated they may consider ending the strike if mediation terms are revised. Smith said the government plans to establish a commission after the strike to study classroom size and other education issues, and offered a 12% salary increase over four years along with 3,000 new teacher hires.
