October 6 - So it Begins - The Alberta Teacher Strike

[Locke]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

The 3000 - 5000 new teachers is a non-starter. Where are you finding 5000 people who are banging down the door to teach here? It's not happening. Even if it's written into the collective agreement, there just simply aren't that many people who want to teach here.

So...when do we round up the townsfolk?

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

Assuming we're out of school the next two weeks and back working on the 27th, I'll have given up $7,810 of salary.

If the result is 15% instead of 12% and some promise of teachers who will never show up I will be extremely disappointed.

21% would probably look better. Front loaded like 12-3-3-3.

If they make that first number big enough then they can start seeing teachers migrating to Alberta for a better pay.

I wonder how many teachers we could import from the US? With how crazy things are down there you have to think many of them would love to get out. Perhaps the GoA could work with GoC to fast track teachers to Alberta?

Is that a thing?

[Point Blank]

Originally Posted by Locke

So...when do we round up the townsfolk?

[Locke]

Oh yeah. Libertarian parents want to take Education into their own hands? Maybe they need a taste of it?

I could teach a class. Basic BS 101. Lets do this thing.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

Assuming we're out of school the next two weeks and back working on the 27th, I'll have given up $7,810 of salary.

If the result is 15% instead of 12% and some promise of teachers who will never show up I will be extremely disappointed.

Wouldn’t a deal include that pay though, and the back pay? Or is that just gone with the strike?

[Major Major]

15 may get it over the line... I have no clue. I would not vote for it personally, but lots would. My number to vote yes in a deal with this government is pretty high though.

It's important to put a clause in the contract as a consequence for the inability to hire x amount of teachers by x date. Whatever that looks like, I don't know.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Point Blank

Oh Jasper...now theres a teacher. Only supplanted by the one and only great educational device of our times!

[Torture]

Originally Posted by Point Blank

I don’t even know why they’re putting in hiring teachers as a CBA item. They already have a funding formula based on enrollment growth. It should be gradual rollout of classroom size caps as we are only one of two provinces without classroom size caps.

Not a teacher but it is absurd that we do not have classroom caps.

[malcolmk14]

Originally Posted by Slava

Wouldn’t a deal include that pay though, and the back pay? Or is that just gone with the strike?

It’s gone. The deal we are negotiating began Sept 1 2024 though so hopefully there’s some back pay for last year. The deal we turned down was 3% retroactive.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

It’s gone. The deal we are negotiating began Sept 1 2024 though so hopefully there’s some back pay for last year. The deal we turned down was 3% retroactive.

I would assume any deal would be including back pay (not including the time striking however like you said). Do teachers get any other small monetary benefits that may be included as well? For example some unions have a work clothing / work boot allowance that goes up over time to adjust for the increased cost of work clothing. Do teachers have any benefits similar to that maybe for supplies or teaching aids?

[Point Blank]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I would assume any deal would be including back pay (not including the time striking however like you said). Do teachers get any other small monetary benefits that may be included as well? For example some unions have a work clothing / work boot allowance that goes up over time to adjust for the increased cost of work clothing. Do teachers have any benefits similar to that maybe for supplies or teaching aids?

Not sure if this answers your question, but ATA provides a Personal Development Fund for $200 yearly (can only purchase things related to wellness activities, which does not include supplies), and a Staff Development Fund (only applicable for developmental initiatives such as Master's, licensing, classes, etc) of up to $2200 every 4 years.

As for CBE, I get a cellphone allowance as a specialist for $27.50 per month. If I travel for work, I can also get an adequate allowance for gas and food. As for supplies, high school is better off than junior high/elementary, a business office typically buys most supplies for teachers. Elementary and junior high teachers spend a ton of their own money.

As for Ed Assistants, basically the principal has to choose based on funding. One teacher versus two EA's for inclusive classrooms. Specialized classrooms get a separate body for funding, which is why you almost never see EA's now in non-specialized settings.

[Locke]

The funny part about 'rounding up the townsfolk' to replace teachers is that I remember at times having Calgary Stampeders as substitute teachers.

"Hey! Can you handle some kids for a day?"

Sure! Why not? What could go wrong?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Major Major

15 may get it over the line... I have no clue. I would not vote for it personally, but lots would. My number to vote yes in a deal with this government is pretty high though.

It's important to put a clause in the contract as a consequence for the inability to hire x amount of teachers by x date. Whatever that looks like, I don't know.

Set it up like NHL escrow. Each teacher not hired salary and benefits gets paid out in a bonus split between all teachers.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Locke

The funny part about 'rounding up the townsfolk' to replace teachers is that I remember at times having Calgary Stampeders as substitute teachers.

"Hey! Can you handle some kids for a day?"

Sure! Why not? What could go wrong?

Right, but they were qualified to teach. Same thing with the Stampede Wrestling guys who would substitute teach.

[fotze2]

Originally Posted by Locke

The funny part about 'rounding up the townsfolk' to replace teachers is that I remember at times having Calgary Stampeders as substitute teachers.

"Hey! Can you handle some kids for a day?"

Sure! Why not? What could go wrong?

I had Keith Hart as a sub. Not sure how that worked looking back.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by fotze2

I had Keith Hart as a sub. Not sure how that worked looking back.

It worked great

All we did in class was talk about Stampede Wrestling, the best Grade 9 class ever

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Point Blank

Not sure if this answers your question, but ATA provides a Personal Development Fund for $200 yearly (can only purchase things related to wellness activities, which does not include supplies), and a Staff Development Fund (only applicable for developmental initiatives such as Master's, licensing, classes, etc) of up to $2200 every 4 years.

As for CBE, I get a cellphone allowance as a specialist for $27.50 per month. If I travel for work, I can also get an adequate allowance for gas and food. As for supplies, high school is better off than junior high/elementary, a business office typically buys most supplies for teachers. Elementary and junior high teachers spend a ton of their own money.

As for Ed Assistants, basically the principal has to choose based on funding. One teacher versus two EA's for inclusive classrooms. Specialized classrooms get a separate body for funding, which is why you almost never see EA's now in non-specialized settings.

Are increases to your personal development and staff development fund part of bargaining being bargained for as well? Those may be eligible for retro pay as well.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Locke

Oh Jasper...now theres a teacher. Only supplanted by the one and only great educational device of our times!

I watched the shuttle explode on one of those.

[Fuzz]

Everything we ever watched on those was psychedelic. Students learned the cool trick of holding a magnet up to them and from that day forward, no TV was safe, or clear ever again.

[Point Blank]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Are increases to your personal development and staff development fund part of bargaining being bargained for as well? Those may be eligible for retro pay as well.

To my knowledge, no. But part of the most recent proposal, the one 89.5% teachers rejected, was the exact same proposal that was rejected months ago plus a free COVID vaccine.