OLDCORN: Time to end the Alberta teachers’ strike now

When it comes to Alberta’s ongoing teachers’ strike, time is not a luxury our students or their families can afford. By the time the legislature reconvenes at the end of October, some 740,000 children across 2,500 schools will have been kept out of classrooms for almost a month, with 51,000 teachers still holding out for demands most Albertans agree are unreasonable. The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) insists on more than what the government can responsibly offer, in a showdown that’s hurting kids and forcing parents into impossible situations..SLOBODIAN: BC’s barbaric secret — Teen girls mutilated in ‘gender affirming clinics’ while NDP politicians cheer.The government’s latest offer is anything but stingy: a 12% wage increase over four years, plus 3,000 new teaching jobs and thousands of support staff. Most teachers would actually see pay packets rise by as much as 17% due to grid adjustments — enough to make Alberta’s educators the best-paid in Western Canada. But instead of getting back to work, union leaders have moved the goalposts, dismissing “unprecedented” raises and rejecting terms that would be the envy of every working Canadian. Their demands, now totalling nearly $2 billion more than the budget allows, simply do not line up with economic reality..Meanwhile, parents aren’t just left to pick up the pieces. They’re forced to overhaul their lives. With no time to prepare, families are scrambling for childcare, shelling out unexpected costs, and facing tough questions about their children’s progress. While the province has stepped in with daily payouts for those with kids under 12, even $30 per day barely scratches the surface of the disruption. Many parents have voiced their frustration, making clear that no payout can compensate for lost learning and the day-to-day havoc wreaked on household routines. .OLDCORN: Alberta’s teachers’ union abandons students for politics.Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides spells it out for us. The union is playing politics with children’s futures.This strike isn’t just about salary. The ATA points to “systemic issues” like overcrowded classrooms and support for children with complex needs. .Yet, the rejected offer promised to hire more teachers and assistants. A move that directly addresses these concerns. Instead, union insiders have floated the idea of scaling back new hires to bankroll even higher raises for existing staff. That strategy does nothing for students; it leaves them even further behind..HILTON-O’BRIEN: Big money in little politics.The real casualties of this standoff are Alberta’s school children. These kids have barely recovered from years of educational setbacks during COVID-19 shutdowns and are now facing another lost month. .Parents across Alberta have shared stories of kids falling behind in core subjects, special needs support falling through the cracks, and hunger among students who rely on school meal programs. University practicum students and high schoolers, too, are left in limbo — missing critical opportunities and fearing their futures will be compromised..PARKE: Public education and the myth of separation of church and state.Make no mistake about it. This strike punishes families. Parents are forced into chaos as children are deprived of structure, educational progress, and pathways to success. Some claim this is about bargaining for the greater good, but the timing and tactics say otherwise. Who benefits when kids and parents are “held hostage” for leverage that goes far beyond fair pay?.The Alberta government has a duty to all its citizens, not just public-sector unions. Ninety percent of taxpayers — parents, businesses, seniors — are not on strike, but they foot the bill for the ever-increasing demands. Public sector payouts must be sustainable so essential services aren’t threatened down the road.It’s time for Premier Danielle Smith and her government to enact back-to-work legislation without delay. The kids have already lost enough. Waiting until the end of the month, or entertaining further unreasonable demands, will only guarantee more pain for everyday Albertans. .If a fair, generous deal isn’t enough to bring teachers back now, then the government must step in to restore order and defend the interests of students and families.Alberta’s children need classrooms, not picket lines. Parents need predictability, not emergency childcare. The government needs to act, not equivocate. End the strike, order teachers back to work, and put Alberta’s future back where it belongs, in the classroom.

OLDCORN: Time to end the Alberta teachers’ strike now

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