The day has come.The government has introduced legislation ordering Alberta teachers back to work — something the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) is adamantly against.."It's a generous settlement that includes a 12% salary increase over four years and additional market adjustment that improves the pay of 95% of teachers by up to 17% and funds the hiring of 3,000 new teachers to reduce class sizes and strengthen student learning," stated Premier Danielle Smith."It provides a commitment to hire 1,500 additional EAS and provides COVID shots to teachers, as requested by the ATA."The legislation and the amendment will last from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2028."(The strike) passes that bar of irreparable harm, which we think that it obviously has now — it's the longest strike action in educational history where that has been met," stated Minister of Justice Mickey Amery."So the only way we're gonna have kids back in school on Wednesday is to get it to the House tonight, and that's what we're gonna do."The notwithstanding clause is found in Section 33 of the Charter, which allows provincial legislation to declare a statute can operate despite the rights and freedoms guaranteed by sections 2 and 7 to 15 of the Charter.The legislation will take precedence over the ATA's ability to strike — an offence with financial penalties of up to $500 a day for teachers and up to $500,000 a day for "any other cases.".It's expected the NDP will fight against the legislation and the earliest kids could be back in school is Wednesday.Reported by CTV on Tuesday morning, the ATA released a response stating it "has taken the position that it will pursue all legal alternatives to challenge Bill 2’s egregious assault on the collective bargaining rights of teachers and, by extension, all workers.”“In this effort, we anticipate that we will be supported by organized labour, civil society and ordinary citizens.""This fight has just begun.”.Bill 2, or the back-to-work legislation, passed at 2 am MST on Tuesday, and the ATA released its statement just before it was passed.
