ATA Provincial Bargaining Update - June 10, 2025
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June 10, 2025
To our FSD Community,
We are writing to inform you with an update regarding the labour negotiations between the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) and the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA). Following a strike vote that took place June 5 to 8, 2025, the ATA has released the vote results.
Alberta Teachers have voted 94.5% in favour of labour action.
At the time of this letter, formal strike notice has not been issued by the ATA. The strike mandate is valid for 120 days; if the ATA doesn’t go on strike during this period, they can take another supervised strike vote and, if successful, they would have another 120 days during which they may withdraw services. The ATA may exercise their right for province-wide job action after providing school boards with 72 hours’ notice. We will inform you directly if that information becomes available.
We recognize that any labour action taken by our certificated staff (teachers) will have a large impact on our community. Foothills School Division is hopeful that labour action can be avoided with a successful settlement between TEBA and ATA that places students at the centre of a flourishing learning community.
Below we will outline some key information items to support your understanding of the process and what may happen next in the negotiations process.
Alberta Teachers’ Association & ATA Foothills Local 16
Foothills School Division’s certificated teachers, including school leadership (principals, vice-principals) are represented by the Alberta Teachers’ Association and ATA Foothills Local 16.
Bargaining Timeline
The first stages of collective bargaining is managed provincially, through the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA), which is a legislative corporation created by the Public Education Collective Bargaining Act. TEBA represents school boards in collective bargaining for all of Alberta’s public, separate, and Francophone teachers.
TEBA’s bargaining process involves three stages:
- Stage 1: TEBA bargains with the ATA to determine which matters will be negotiated at the provincial level and which at the local level.
- Stage 2: TEBA bargains with the ATA on provincial matters affecting all teachers and employers, aiming to create a provincial memorandum of agreement.
- Stage 3: Individual school boards then bargain with their local ATA representatives on local matters.
Right now, negotiations are at Stage 2 of the process.
Next Steps
- The strike mandate is valid for 120 days.
- If the ATA decides to move forward with labour action, the ATA must first give 72 hours’ notice. Labour action may include a strike, work to rule, or rotating strikes.
- Strike: A complete withdrawal of services.
- Work to Rule: Additional duties outside of instructional hours will cease. This may include extracurricular activities and supervision.
- Rotating Strikes: Intermittent cessation of work; this would be dictated by the ATA and communicated to families through the Division.
- Although there is a strike mandate, the two parties may meet back at the negotiation table at any time.
We understand that the uncertainty of labour action can be concerning. Foothills School Division remains committed to open and transparent communication throughout this process. We will continue to share timely updates via email and on our website as new information becomes available.
We have set up an ATA labour relations page at our website: https://www.foothillsschooldivision.ca/page/22657/labour-relations-ata
On behalf of the Division, I thank you for your partnership in education.
Yours in learning,
Chris Fuzessy
Superintendent of Schools
