[Edmonton] Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) President Larry Booi predicts serious job actions in the New Year unless the government of Alberta reconsiders its fiscal squeeze on public education.

"The key is the Edmonton Public Schools local," said Booi. On November 20th, 99.3% of 3500 Edmonton public school teachers attending a public meeting voted to hold a supervised strike vote.

A vote of the entire Edmonton membership voted 95% in favour of strike action. The voting took place at schools around the city and also at the ATA’s Barnett House headquarters.

"Edmonton teachers could be on strike within 72 hours of the vote," said Booi, "but they won’t strike yet. They will wait for more of their colleagues from around the Province to be in a legal strike position in the New Year."

Booi places the blame for the crisis in public education squarely on the shoulders of the provincial government. "The School Boards just don’t have the money they need because of the government’s unprecedented interference in local school authority business," he said.

For the first time ever, the last government budget stipulated a 4% and 2% wage increase for teachers over two years and a 3.5% increase in other educational spending. There was no consultation with teachers before this arbitrary decision undercut free collective bargaining and dashed parents’ hopes for long-awaited improvements in public education.

Meanwhile, provincial government employees received a two-year contract worth between 15 and 18%.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association has refused to sign an agreement between the Medicine Hat teachers and their local school board. On November 19th, Medicine Hat teachers had accepted a Board proposal which would have seen teachers take their budgeted 4% plus the 3.5% budgeted for other public education spending. Booi was adamant that the Provincial body took the only principled action available by rejecting the Medicine Hat agreement.

"Teachers will not take wages at the expense of classroom conditions," said Booi. He also pointed out that the strong Edmonton vote for action took place the day following the Medicine Hat ‘agreement’.

Minister of Learning Dr Lyle Oberg was highly critical of the Provincial ATA’s actions overturning the Medicine Hat deal, suggesting that they should not be interfering in local affairs.

Booi, however, was unimpressed with the Minister’s comments. "Dr. Oberg has to be very careful or someone is going to accuse him of hypocrisy," said Booi.

He pointed out that Oberg was the Minister who fired the democratically elected Calgary Public School Board for criticizing the government.

The ATA has been running a strong public education campaign aimed at informing Albertans about the issues in dispute. Their message is clearly reaching a receptive audience, as polls show that 88% of Albertans want more money for public education, and that there is also strong support for more money for teachers’ salaries.

According to Booi, that support is there despite government misinformation about teachers’ wages and provincial education spending.

"Polls found that 73% of Albertans believe that the government should provide more money for teachers’ salaries," said Booi.

Booi warns that government inaction will result in a strong response from Alberta teachers. "We’re expecting a considerable number of locals out in the New Year, unless there is a radical shift in government thinking," said Booi.

"If Dr. Oberg would spend one-quarter the time getting money for education as he spends denying there is a problem, we wouldn’t be in this crisis."