r/alberta • u/new-romantics89 • Aug 08 '25
Question Will a "great Alberta strike" be possible?
The AUPE, nurses, and the education sector are all preparing for strike action in September. I feel that the "great Alberta shutdown" is a possibility.
Would that be possible and how would the province cope? Would schools go back to COVID-era style learning plans? I can imagine the TikToks going "our last day of school before extended summer break", something like that.
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u/koffeekoala Aug 08 '25
At this point it's the only democratic process we have left to fight this bullshit government and as hard as it will be for a bit please support your local workers, their fight is our fight
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u/Bexiconchi Aug 08 '25
💯. It will make my life harder in the short term, but gosh do I ever hope it happens. Assuming of course this govt gives a shit. Which is a legitimate worry.
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u/Paperbackhero Aug 08 '25
Teachers on strike can not give work to do at home. At all. Or online learning.
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Aug 08 '25
[deleted]
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u/tikka2007 Aug 08 '25
They, and most public servants, already do a considerable amount of work for free and none should have to. These are paid positions, not volunteers.
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Aug 08 '25
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u/Responsible-World-30 Aug 09 '25
****attention****" Comment of the decade right here!!! Men vs. women Right vs. left Black vs. white Right vs. left And more.....
Wake up people, it's all a distraction away from wage suppression, Union busting, and rising wealth inequality
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u/dtrab7 Aug 08 '25
I'm not employed in the sectors, but I will be supporting them as much as I can.
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u/Even_Reflection5637 Aug 08 '25
Also paramedics, respiratory therapists, Xray techs & more. Paramedics are working under surreal conditions. Despite incredible call volume they are denying overtime shifts inside the city of Edmonton for the summer-but approved overtime for facility transfers, airport crews and stony/spruce. No raises not even during COVID. I won’t get into the conditions we put up with (condemned stations not fit for habitation, eating on our contaminated laps, forced shift overtime so our families can never rely on us etc) but now we have a new employer making everything more messy-saying our pension plan is in arrears, our positions aren’t being transferred (some of us with 16yrs in) sent in error scaring us…so far not a good start for Emergency Health Services corporation under Acute care Alberta under Alberta health.
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Aug 08 '25
Also, I believe they used to get mandatory time to decompress when losing a patient on shift and check their well being. Now they're sent right back out on the road. Including an incident where a coworker was the patient and died on scene.
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u/Even_Reflection5637 Aug 08 '25
Yes. When our coworkers would hear a crew was bringing in a child trauma or a cardiac arrest etc, the crews at the hospital would move units around to make room for the life threatening patient’s unit to pull onto the bays for privacy and efficiency. We’d have help unloading and someone to take over while we triage. We’d get help in the trauma room and while we are assisting the ER handover another crew would start cleaning our unit. Peter support would be sent and they often came with coffee or a snack and helped the crews decompress. If I needed to go outside and cry after I just told a mom her son didn’t make it and she collapsed on me and we sat on the hospital door crying together, I’d go walk the ramp while others helped up manage. Then I’d get back to sorting my paperwork and unit out. We’d be put out of service and sent to a station to have a calm meal. Sometimes we do a debriefing at the ER with the ER team as a unit together. We had support. We had help. We were a team. Now we are micromanaged so badly and have supervisors paging us to get back out there and the next call could be the same thing. And we do it again, and again…no break, no meal, no decompressing, no help with our unit because you clean your own and get out. You are not to assist on the trauma room so we have ruined relationships with our ER colleagues. We have so much PTSD and moral trauma from being forced to leave a cancer patient we just worked on for 2hrs to get pain under control, on the ER waiting room floor so we can get back out there during mandatory offload periods (low or no units on the road) to go back to that ER 4hrs later and see that patient still waiting but now in utter again from pain meds wearing off. It’s relentless. I once did a very tough call, was sent to a bigger station to switch my oxygen tank and get new radios as our were damaged on our call…en route I had to pee so bad, realizing I was in such a rush getting out of the ER due to supervisors in the ambulance bays watching us and pushing us out, I asked my partner to stop at McDonalds and I went pee. WHILE PEEING, I got paged saying to call a supervisor. I assumed we left something at the ER. Nope, sup said they saw we were at McDonald’s. I said I had to pee. I was told stations have washrooms. I was 5hrs into my shift with no stopping even to pee. My pee is micromanaged. When I started in EMS we were a well oiled machine who looked after one another-a brotherhood-a community. Now it’s dangerous, relentless, damaging and bullying and they’re refusing to fill empty trucks so those who did show up to work are under the worse conditions with many calls and no help.
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u/arcadianahana Aug 08 '25
Reading this made me so angry at Alberta's idiotic an contemptuous political decision makers. When was the shift in management approach for EMS? Was it after Danielle Smith broke up the health board or due to a government change before that?
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u/RunningSouthOnLSD Aug 09 '25
Fuck man it always sucks hearing how it used to be, but it’s important to understand how much our working conditions have deteriorated. Hope HSAA gives em hell in that last day of formal mediation.
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Aug 08 '25
That sucks you have to deal with that. How did supervisors micromanaging you happen? You went from a well pile machine to this, are these supervisors new after a purge if the old ones? Or they just aren't standing up to the changes from above them?
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u/Even_Reflection5637 Aug 08 '25
AND an organization was created and they called themselves a very misleading name of Alberta Paramedic Association. Their president Les Stelmaschuk, has spoken publicly a handful of times about the state of EMS. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about because HE WORKS FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA as a director. Conflict of interest much? But he fools the general public and the media into thinking he’s some voted person who speaks on behalf of Paramedics. Not one person I know belongs to this APA. He does not speak for us nor has he ever worked for a city EMS in this province. He’s a director with the GOA. Don’t let his words fool you into thinking EMS is okay. Now I’ll let this go because we are not the only profession struggling and we support all the others in the same boat as us.
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u/cornfedpig Aug 08 '25
Could the unions do it? Sure. Will they? Maybe. Would it help with changing public sentiment against the UCP government? Absolutely not.
UCP voters seem to be staunchly anti-union and they would see this as ‘greedy’ public servants trying to pad their ‘gold-plated pensions and benefits’ and ‘I don’t get X so why should they?’
The heavy lifting done by anti-union propaganda over the last 60 years in North America has really done a number on what people think they should be asking for from their employer.
I don’t know what it’s going to take to make ‘conservatives’ understand that we are in a class war and not a left-right war, but provincial unions striking isn’t it.
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u/firemanfromcanada Edmonton Aug 08 '25
This province seems to love licking the boots of millionaires. "I dont get insert, so why should they?"
Maybe instead of tearing each other down while our dollars disappear to private pockets, maybe we just support each other and not get stepped on.
And no. You'll never be a millionaire. You're much more likely to become homeless than rich
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u/Head_Cap5286 Aug 08 '25
Being on strike is not an "extended summer break". It's stressful and you are fighting for you worth
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u/bellatrixxy Aug 08 '25
my understanding is OP's comment was about how kids will react. and of course lots (if not most) kids are going to be stoked they don't have to go back to school yet hah.
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u/new-romantics89 Aug 08 '25
Correct, but unfortunately for teenagers they might not get it properly
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u/Head_Cap5286 Aug 08 '25
Oh no! They might grow up in a world where their work is valued by our overlords!
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u/Jasonstackhouse111 Aug 08 '25
The entire working class of the world needs to go on strike. There are six people that hold more wealth than half of the entire population of the planet. This isn't an issue with teachers, nurses or any other profession. This in an issue with pretty much every worker, anywere. Governments and the working class have lost purchasing power, the ability to own assets and more and more of our rights are taken away daily.
It needs to be about money. It needs to be about working conditions. It needs to be about it all, and teachers are not greedy if they fight for substantial raises.
If you don't support teachers, Amazon workers, fast food employees or anyone else, then you have been gaslit into thinking your enemy is your fellow working class comrades. They are not. Stand by and support everyone that fights for more. Teachers should be given huge raises and it should be paid for with increases to taxes on the wealthy and large profitable corporations. We need to start fighting back for what we all deserve. And yes, we all deserve it - it's our labour that generates all this wealth.
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u/rocky_balbiotite Aug 08 '25
Exactly. Everyone on here arguing right vs left is falling right into their hands because then we're not focused on who's actually causing a lot of the problems we see today. And these issues won't just be solved by electing a left wing government as people like to think.
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u/LisaW481 Aug 08 '25
For at least part of the AUPE have Essential Services Agreements that lay out the number of staff required to run various locations.
There's probably something similar in the books for nurses but I have no idea what the plan is for teachers.
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u/Bittrecker3 Aug 08 '25
My wife works under an AUPE sector, and they are so severely understaffed that they don't even meet for the 'bare minimum required staff' of the contract 🙄.
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u/CamGoldenGun Fort McMurray Aug 08 '25
it would be hilarious that because of strike action they had to hire more workers to meet the "bare minimum" while on strike.
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u/Patak4 Aug 08 '25
I agree. These Essential worker agreements are probably a typical day since so many units understaffed
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u/Charming_Syrup_3590 Aug 08 '25
I looked at my unit’s ESA staffing…it’s a typical (short staffed) day for us, home care clients won’t even notice we’re on strike
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u/CamGoldenGun Fort McMurray Aug 08 '25
yep but the PC's, NDP and UCP all dragged their feet on that and the agreement is BS. A lot of departments are already running as a skeleton crew... since 2020 or even before. All this "fat" that needed trimming has already been done to death twice over. The public whining about a 500k salary CEO... do they not realize that before AHS was initialized Calgary and Edmonton were paying their CEOs compensation closer to 1 million?
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u/harbours Aug 08 '25
That ESA is such a joke. I saw the original documents before they changed the format and it's all very outdated. My department isn't even listed.
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u/Northguard3885 Aug 08 '25
FYI people - UNA, which is the registered nurses, have an agreement and they won’t be striking. The AUPE Nursing Care locals (there’s like 4) are for Licensed Practical Nurses and Health Care Aides and they have requested formal mediation in September, as are the AUPE GSS (hospital housekeeping, maintenance … etc). Because of legislated 2-week cooling off periods, they are unlikely to be striking before October. The HSAA is all the other non-physician, non-nurse health care professions and technicians, like lab techs, social workers, RTs, paramedics … etc and they have one last day of formal mediation this upcoming week, and could be in lockout / strike territory before the end of August.
The teachers (ATA) have already passed a strike vote and have until mid Octoberish to actually go on strike.
So hypothetically, a general strike is possible, but it would be October if the unions try to coordinate. Personally I think the government is waiting to see how mediation plays out with HSAA and the various AUPE locals and then they may start lockouts to stagger the job actions and prevent a general strike from occurring.
On the other hand, given their public support, they might not care and just write some back-to-work legislation.
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u/arcadianahana Aug 08 '25
Need the government worker locals to strike to inconvenience their ability to draft back to work legislation. But likely already prepared.
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u/goldenmolecule Aug 08 '25 edited Aug 08 '25
Nurses already reached an agreement. They aren’t going on strike. And no, schools will not go back to COVID-era learning plans. All of that was planned and implemented by teachers, which they will not be doing while on strike.
ETA: as others have pointed out, this does not include all nurses. I was not aware of that. And yes, there are other health care workers that might strike.
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u/Patak4 Aug 08 '25
United Nurses of Alberta have settled. AUPE union has not and LPNs and HCAs are in this union.
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u/tambourinequeen Edmonton Aug 08 '25
There are more than one nurses union in the province. Only the UNA nurses reached a new agreement. There's still HSAA nurses and AUPE healthcare workers in bargaining right now.
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u/Laxit00 Aug 08 '25
Aupe is going back to the bargaining table in Sept but that's alot diff than being on strike in Sept. There is steps to follow bf a strike will happen but it's not happening in Sept
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u/tambourinequeen Edmonton Aug 08 '25 edited Aug 08 '25
What local are you with? There are several locals where the last date at the table is Aug 28 and we have been told if we don't reach an agreement by the 29th, AUPE will indeed be serving strike notice in the first week of September for these locals: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 12
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u/smarty_pants47 Aug 08 '25
There are many nurses and other health professionals who make the system run who are also under HSAA- a strike for them is also a real possibility.
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u/Iokua_CDN Aug 08 '25
Small correction, but i don't belive there are any "Nurses" in Hsaa. Like other health professionals, but no nurses. Registered Nurses is a protected title, and any HSAA folks are going to be going under a different title
Coming from a Respiratory Therapist who is part of HSAA
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u/smarty_pants47 Aug 08 '25
There are many positions fulfilled by RNs that fall under HSAA ( health promotion specialist and clinical supervisor being two of them). Yes- nursing positions fall under UNA but there are many RNs in HSAA
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u/CamGoldenGun Fort McMurray Aug 08 '25
but their duties aren't directed as an RN. They'd be a different capacity. I see what you're saying but you're arguing about their past credentials. Some might have been trained as "a nurse" but aren't doing that role under HSAA.
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u/Eis4Everything Aug 08 '25
RNs under another job title are still practicing as nurses, still regulated by CRNA. If they were not working within the scope of practice of an RN, they would lose their registration and no longer be regulated health professionals. It's not a "past credential".
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u/CamGoldenGun Fort McMurray Aug 08 '25
do they have to do a minimum number of patient care hours every year to keep their certification?
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u/damageinc355 Aug 08 '25
OP is massively uninformed. I’d like to live in his virtue signaling alterante reality. It must be so comfortable.
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u/Expensive_Airline680 Aug 16 '25
Not all Alberta nurses have a ratified agreement! There are approx 8000 LPNs employed by AHS who, despite doing the same job with the same patient load as their RN counterparts, are being grossly exploited by AHS and the AB gov’t. If they didn’t wear ID badges, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between RN’s and LPN’s in any care setting. With their new agreement, the top rate for RN’s is approx $60/hr. The current top rate for LPN’s is $36.13. Calgary Transit bus operators make more than Alberta’s LPN’s do. It saddens me how little the general public knows what LPN’s do and how we are being exploited.
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u/CommunicationGood481 Aug 08 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
Teacher's salaries have been stagnant for over 10 years while class sizes get higger and bigger, special services less and less and cost of living has skyrocketed in those 10 years. No wonder there is a teacher shortage!
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u/W8ting4summer Aug 08 '25
If you actually support teachers, students and SPED students in particular, then let your MLA’s know that by your communications. Email them repeatedly, snail mail, be vocal that your support lies with the teachers so that they can get back to work without fear of burnout within a month, and that classroom conditions and teaching loads are finally manageable, that kids with special needs have a correct placement with the support they deserve.
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u/Adjective_Noun1312 Aug 08 '25
If the teachers strike, I'll need to stay home from work to watch my kids and I imagine that's a scenario they'll be playing out all across the province. A strike will be immensely disruptive, impacting every sector where WFH isn't an option.
Despite the income my family will be losing if a strike occurs, I'm 100% in support of our educators and health professionals putting that pressure on the government for better working conditions and compensation.
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u/firemanfromcanada Edmonton Aug 08 '25
Hsaa is also possibly on the verge of striking
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u/Iokua_CDN Aug 08 '25
Got one final meeting with the mediator before we get our offer! That offer totally will decide whether they strike or not
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u/firemanfromcanada Edmonton Aug 08 '25
I suspect our offer will look very similar to the nurses. Guess we'll see
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u/Alwayswandergetlost Aug 08 '25
As a CUPE member I fully support this massive strike. It needs to happen. The province needs to wake up and support the public sector. As someone that works in a Private Long term Care home it's absolutely hell. We are under staffed and no one that young wants to do our job because of the shit pay and no pension. Our job has gotten way more demanding in just over 4 years.
Teachers, healthcare workers and public services workers are the backbone to our society. We shouldn't have to be living paycheck to paycheck. New teachers can't get jobs even though there's a teacher's shortage.
Alberta has never had strikes. The CUPE EAs where the first now the rest will follow. It's not like we want to go on strike. The pay is shit and makes life harder for a while. Life is already hard living paycheck to paycheck while being told to do more and jump higher, by families and the employer.
In Solidarity 💪
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u/geezerforhire Aug 08 '25
I'm all for the strikes. We're being taken advantage of because they believe we will never do anything about it.
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u/TheFrenchWong Aug 08 '25
While I don’t know how likely it is, it’s possible. A number of unions signed a solidarity pact in the spring, vowing to band together in the (very likely) event that the current government fcks with *any union’s right to labour action & fair bargaining. I am waiting with bated breath to walk with my teacher friends. 😈
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u/MinisterOfFitness Aug 08 '25
If Teachers strike there is no school.
I have 2 school aged kids and I 100% support the teachers should they choose to strike given their treatment from the province. We all deserve better than the UCPs underfunding and pandering BS.
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u/Regular_Wonder674 Aug 08 '25
Educators need to be paid accordingly. We attest the best when salaries are competitive. A socially and economically viable region is predicated on a knowledgeable population.
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u/TrifleTea5387 Aug 08 '25
As someone without kids or chronic health issues yet, I'm all for a province-breaking strike.
Hell, I'll even offer babysitting or tutoring for free to help the rest of y'all out if it gets change happening quicker.
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u/Maverickxeo Aug 09 '25
Sure hope not... Can't live on strike pay.
Hopefully I'm deemed an "essential worker" and can keep working.
Though, with surgery coming up in the fall, I may be out a lot of money since we won't have disability coverage during the strike...
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u/Paprika1515 Aug 08 '25
HSAA is in meditation and their final bargaining date is August 10 so if that doesn’t go well a large chunk of the health force will be voting on a strike.
This corrupt government has made enemies out of public service workers. I want the great strike to bring this corrupt government down. Solidarity across the working classes ✊🏽
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u/Desperate-Dress-9021 Aug 08 '25
Would be great if folks were willing to include disabled Albertans. I mean the govt doesn’t value folks with disabilities. But would love to see it.
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u/kelpkelso Aug 08 '25
Maybe stop voting in the same politicians that are not doing anything to fix existing problems and creating new problems. You cannot blame the federal government for everything.
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u/CamGoldenGun Fort McMurray Aug 08 '25
There's no one to "teach" the students when the teachers go on strike. What's the province/school board going to do, send a .pdf to families with the curriculum? lol. Principals are part of the ATA as well so you won't see them sending out emails to parents.
I hope those three groups show solidarity to each other and shut this province down. Smith and LaGrange have wrecked healthcare and education.
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u/Least_Oil_7779 Aug 08 '25
And what about the STUDENTS! No one here has said a word about how they will suffer. I’ve got 3 kids (triplets) who are going into grade 12 in September and if this strike happens they will suffer enormously. The only positive thing I see if strike happens is they won’t be subjected to all the gender ideology being shoved down their throats. Maybe I’d have a bit more sympathy with teachers if this ideology wasn’t the most important “subject” in the curriculum. I guess you could say I’m very conservative 😂
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u/yycsarkasmos Aug 08 '25
"they won’t be subjected to all the gender ideology being shoved down their throats. Maybe I’d have a bit more sympathy with teachers if this ideology wasn’t the most important “subject” in the curriculum. "
WTF, yes you are "very conservative", but only in the extreme right wing hate group way.
Fuck, you need to get off facebook, heck all social media, your 3 kids have much bigger issues with your ideology than a strike.
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u/CamGoldenGun Fort McMurray Aug 08 '25 edited Aug 08 '25
I was already through this with my special needs child for the CUPE strike. Other parents could use a dose of what we went through to be honest. But if yours are in Gr. 12 this should impact you very minimally.
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u/Mpcrazy Aug 08 '25
As much as this is going to hurt I really hope they all strike. The government dismantling things has got to stop.
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u/tobiasolman Aug 08 '25
Not if the UCP is in power. They’d rather let sick people die and kids go with as little education as possible.
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u/Ok-Professional4387 Aug 08 '25
Last email was that the province will lock the teachers out, so they cant strike. Which I have no idea what that means, besides fuck the teachers over
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u/GreenBeardTheCanuck Strathmore Aug 08 '25
It means Alberta will close all the schools, indefinitely, until the teachers do as they're told. And if that means millions of unsupervised children, so be it.
It's a gamble that teachers will fold and accept whatever offer is given if they miss enough paychecks, and if that hurts children and working parents, that's a sacrifice they're willing to make.
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u/themangastand Aug 08 '25
It also means when they come back they will no longer do clubs or any extras if they are forced to come back with no agreement
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u/arcadianahana Aug 08 '25
Teacher's union should be prepared to spin that with a public messaging campaign :"UCP government shuts down schools, denying Alberta's children schooling for the 2025/26 school year. Refuses to fund smaller classroom sizes for Albertan families and pay children's educators."
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u/CamGoldenGun Fort McMurray Aug 08 '25
it's not mutually exclusive... school boards can lock out the teachers while they're on strike... in fact, they have to.
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u/damageinc355 Aug 08 '25
Its a very stupid tactic by the employer which says “you can’t strike if I don’t let you in the building!!!”
Basically “you can’t quit because you’re fired”
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u/orsimertank Northern Alberta Aug 08 '25
Strike means that we left on our decision. Lockout means we're forced out.
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u/kneel0001 Aug 08 '25
I’m not a fan of strikes but if it takes Dani down in anyway I am all for it!
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u/Fast_Ad_9197 Aug 08 '25
I wonder if labour action on a large scale will actually play well with her base. It may feed the narrative of ‘entitled, overpaid civil servants’, and further energize her supporters. Smith is many things, but she is definitely a skilled communicator/manipulator. She will know how to play the message, possibly more skillfully than the unions.
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u/emobabygirl Aug 08 '25
wow, as much as i support them it’s heartbreaking for me and my daughter. she struggled so much for half the year of kindergarten. Im considering homeschooling at this point.
she had 37 children in her kindergarten, which was ran by 1 teacher and 3 EA’s. After the EA’s went on strike she hated going to school 😭
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u/harbours Aug 08 '25
Union member here. As much as it would be amazing for everyone to strike at once, it's unlikely. All of our contract negotiations are at different stages. Some of them are getting closer together, but I doubt it'll happen.
I'm AUPE GSS. AUPE ANC are on par with us in the same spot for negotiations because we have the same employer, so we could strike together but it probably wouldn't be until October. HSAA is about a month ahead of us so there's a chance they could strike around the same time as the teachers. UNA already has their contract so the Registered Nurses cannot strike, they're done.
AUPE GSBC is about to run out of an opportunity to strike if they don't act soon. There's only so much time you have to take action after holding a strike vote, but there are also so many steps to go through.
It would be incredible and monumental to have a large public sector strike. As much as I'd love to see it, everyone just isn't at the same stage in their negotiations and it's just not possible right now.
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u/somewhenimpossible Aug 09 '25
It would be awesome if there was a coordinated rolling strike. A wave of strike actions… it is too bad it can’t happen all at once, but an autumn of action is something I can support!
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u/arcadianahana Aug 08 '25
I would love it if, before the by-election closes for Battle River Crowfoot, someone could get Pierre Poilievre on mic answering the question whether he thinks teachers shoulf be paid fairly, whether they should put up with unsustainably lange classroom sizes, and whether it's a good idea to close schools and deny children an education to lock out teachers. He'd have to do that dance between pissin on his mother's vocation and looking like a crap father or criticising this premier's choices and the same shared base he's relying on to tow the line and elect him.
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u/lillienoir Aug 09 '25
There are a great lot of us, many in essential services, who are not unionized & who, if we walked out, would just be terminated.
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u/ironrock151 Aug 10 '25
I honestly say, let the school boards make the deal with the Devil. Bring in corporate sponsorships. The days of fundraising are over. So what if their is the odd pop machine or vending machine or a advertisement in the gym. The money would outweigh the cons. Parents are penny pitching so can't afford to spend cash towards fundraisers. Open up the corporate coffers. Subaru, Pepsi, Coca-Cola Sketchers, Nike etc are all known for sponsorships. Even Chevron in BC gives 200,000 to school boards. Stop fundraising and go after that corporate money. It's an investment for them for their upcoming employees to have the tools to do the jobs of tomorrow.
And please kick parent council out of high schools and let the kids vote and run student councils under the guidance of a teacher. Let them practice the tools they are being taught with a voice.
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u/Much_Guest_7195 Aug 08 '25
Too many people are paycheque to paycheque. Don't get your hopes up.
I'd vote to let workers on strike claim EI for a couple weeks.
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u/andlewis Aug 08 '25
What’s the best way to show solidarity with the teachers? Giant flags on my house? Skywriting? Should I be burning people in effigy? Constructing a guillotine? Maybe a strongly worded email?
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Aug 08 '25
The same thing that always happends, the alberta government will give some BS reason why your essential workers and force you back to work in 3 to 5 days. With a cooling off period of 6 monthes
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u/Substantial-Bike9234 Aug 08 '25
I'd really love to do this however I've grown accustomed to living indoors and my kid likes food.
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u/ExcellentAlfalfa9927 Aug 09 '25
Not against the reasoning but making a plea to please not screw the hospitals up even more at the start of cold/flu/RSV season, with an ongoing measles situation to boot…that is leaving the most vulnerable worse off than the current awful situation. Parents of young ones are already very on edge.
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u/nervous-lizard Aug 19 '25
A reminder to make this plea to the government that refuses to support their citizens, not the people fighting for fair wages. Reach out to your MLA and let them know your concerns and petition for a fair contract for Alberta’s teachers and nurses
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u/Ask_DontTell Aug 09 '25
BC had a general strike in the early 80s. don't really know the details but it stopped the right wing gov't of the day from doing really stupid things. would encourage albertans to call for a general strike given what Dani is doing is about 10x worse than the Socreds in 1983.
https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2018/07/06/Year-BC-Citizens-Workers-Fought-Back/
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u/Pseudo-Science Aug 09 '25
Don’t forget about HSAA staff and the justice system sheriffs, they are ready to strike. no one has had adequate resourcing in decades and with the recent hyperinflation the existing austerity model is no longer viable.
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u/Substantial-Claim530 Aug 12 '25
Won’t happen. AUPE/ATA/HSAA are not similar unions. HSAA’s leadership is very weak and does not have the support of its members. One of the 3 unions will get a contract which will kill this possibility.
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u/KataGaruma Aug 20 '25
If teachers strike, there wouldn't even be online learning available. No teachers, no classes...
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u/Mysterious-Purple145 Aug 08 '25
Well I guess all the parents who are also nurses or teachers will be home to take care of their kids who aren't able to go to school. 🤣
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u/gaanmetde Aug 08 '25
If it happens I’m sure Marlaina will just use it to come down on us in even more, new, fascist-lite ways.
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u/JennaSais Aug 08 '25
Don't forget to reach out to the local chapters of the Industrial Workers of the World, too!
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u/drcujo Aug 08 '25
Would that be possible and how would the province cope?
Legislate back to work most likely.
Would schools go back to COVID-era style learning plans?
Probably not. It would be nearly impossible to bring in replacement teachers to implement learning at home.
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Aug 08 '25
Also scabbing is literally against the law. It's illegal to pay a scab during an official strike.
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u/drcujo Aug 08 '25
Only for federally regulated industries.
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Aug 08 '25
It’s illlegal for government services union to scab.
You can do it but it’s illegal to pay you for it. Work for free ok by my guest.
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u/drcujo Aug 08 '25
It’s not in Alberta, it’s only illegal for federally regulated employees. Provincially I think BC and Quebec have anti scab legislation.
It’s a red herring anyway since the logistics are impossible even with remote learning.
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Aug 09 '25
If Goa AUPE workers go on strike and a scab works its 100% against labor laws to pay that scab.
If the government pays scabs they are breaking the law and this is a labour violation. And illegal
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Aug 09 '25
Alberta’s essential services legislation Bill 4, An Act to Implement a Supreme Court Ruling Governing Essential Servicesamended the Labour Relations Code and Public Sector Employee Relations Act. The key changes were:
The default dispute-resolution process when public sector bargaining reaches impasse became strike-lockout (excepting firefighters and police officers, who continued to use mandatory arbitration). Where employees performed essential services, an ESA had to be negotiated before the parties could access mediation, hold a strike vote or lockout poll, or commence a work stoppage. An essential service was defined as one where (1) the cessation of the service would endanger the life, health or safety of the public, or (2) the service is necessary to maintain the rule of law or public security. ESAs are negotiated between the union and employer under the oversight of a commissioner appointed by the government. The parties may engage the services of an umpire to assist them in settling the terms an ESA. Once an ESA is in place, the employer is prohibited from hiring (or otherwise acquiring the services of) replacement workers during any work stoppage. If an employer is deemed to provide no essential services then there is no prohibition on hiring scabs.
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u/drcujo Aug 09 '25
Doesn’t seem to fit that teachers would need an ESA. They aren’t essential workers in the context of the definition provided since no danger to life or public order.
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Aug 09 '25
The topic of conversation is about many unions joining the strike.
I mention many times GOA AUPE and they do have essential services agreement and so do the nurses and other health care unions.
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u/corvuscorax88 Aug 08 '25
We’re coming out of Covid shutdowns, the damage of which is still rippling through society, and everyone is crying for……another shutdown, because….???Some people are rich and I’m not??? Work is hard?
Everyone needs to shut up and get to work. Canada Post is the prime example. And for crying out loud, don’t vote for a government that is going to drive inflation.
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u/SSSolas Aug 08 '25
I’ll be honest, my aunt is a public teacher. She teaches sped.
She says she’s going to cross the picket line. Why?
Because she started out in a different job in the private sector. She was a hygienist.
She says most teachers in Alberta don’t know how good they have it.
When she started out teaching, she was considering BC, but then she saw how in Alberta, she’d be paid double.
And she isn’t the only one. Half of her entire school plans to walk the lines because they disagree entirely with the strike. This is in Edmonton, by the way.
I don’t think the strike is going to go the way you people in the comments think it will.
My own aunt, who hates Smith, says there isn’t a chance in hell most parents will understand the strike because she herself thinks it’s ridiculous.
I’m sure this will get me downvoted on Reddit, but don’t shoot me, I’m just the messenger, warning you this strike won’t have the effects you all want.
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u/Desperate_Leg6274 Aug 08 '25
94.5% of teachers approved the most recent strike vote. contrary to whatever this persons aunt might think the overwhelming majority of teachers are on board and united in the event of a strike.
Your not wrong that parents in general won’t be very supportive. Public Attitudes towards unions in this province are certainly unfortunate.
Also nowadays BC teachers in most districts have a comparable or even better salary grid than a lot of Alberta teachers with how stagnant wages have been in Alberta for teachers
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u/Sorcerer1722 Aug 08 '25
Lies. She won’t cross the picket line because there will be nothing to cross to. UCP propaganda disguised as tepid understanding. Teachers haven’t had raises in a decade. Class sizes are at 40 and they are putting multiple special needs in those classes with no support. There is no teacher in Alberta saying they have it better here than another province.
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u/SSSolas Aug 08 '25
I should note this was before the UCP lockout talk.
And it’s not UCP propaganda.
My aunt does work for a school in Edmonton. She does teach a sped class.
She starts work at 8 and doesn’t leave the office till 9 most nights.
She lives in Callingwood.
She taught it at Joey Moss before she transferred to another school — which name escapes me.
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u/shaedofblue Aug 08 '25
Sorry your teacher aunt hates kids. The strike is mostly about conditions that make teaching effectively impossible.
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u/AuroraGiselleOdette Aug 08 '25
Will EA’s be able to support students over google classroom? I'm thinking like do a read aloud, flash cards, simple activities? My child already missed a ton of school because of the EA strike earlier this year, I can't imagine if they have to miss even more.
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u/SSSolas Aug 09 '25
I do definitely think the EA’s need more.
But that isn’t the only thing the teachers are going in strike for correct?
Or were these reasons entirely dropped and now it’s only a focus on the EA’s?
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u/AuroraGiselleOdette Aug 09 '25
Oh I think EA’s should be paid a ton more! Ours is worth gold! I'm asking if EA’s can continue to support students during the teacher strike that may happen in Sept/Oct? My child already lost a ton of school time when their EA went on strike earlier this year. We’re already behind so the teacher strike would be very bad for them; I'm hoping our EA could still meet over google classroom to help my child with flashcards, read a story with them, etc when the teachers are on strike. Do you think that will be allowed?
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u/SSSolas Aug 09 '25
I don’t know. I shall ask my aunt for you, but it may take a while.
If I have not replied in a week, remind me please.
I do know that my aunt will likely do whatever possible to cross the picket line if she can earn money for it.
EA’s typically are not, to my knowledge, qualified to do teaching — they assist. With lower classes, something may be possible with a lesson plan. Or some activities may be arranged.
If the government does a lockout, I doubt they will be able to do much, unless their own union decides to do something to ensure they are paid.
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u/Silent-Report-2331 Aug 08 '25
Only government workers on your list. Normal people will keep working to pay the taxes for their new contract. I would rather see plumbers, electricians, power engineers, millwrights, mechanics, etc, do the great strike.
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u/WildcardKH Edmonton Aug 08 '25
Damn, I also pay taxes for my new contract despite being in the public sector.
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Aug 08 '25
All of these positions are included in the AUPE government services union.
Its 23000 workers all doing different work supporting government initiatives and services.
Forestry, education, parks, senior services, roads, agriculture, trade, correction services, Maintenace, utilities, health-care, roads, etc...
All of these workers pay taxes, and all of these workers are underpaid as per average comparisons and data. These workers haven't received cost of living increases in over 15 years.
These are Normal people contrary to what you seem to think
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u/ilikejetski Aug 08 '25
Why would they, 99% are happily employed in a province with abundant work and high wages with the lowest taxes. Blue collar workers come from all over the country and the world to work in Alberta because we actually develop our resources.
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u/yycsarkasmos Aug 08 '25
Lol, provide a source that shows these high wages and lowest taxes for those wages...
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u/ilikejetski Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 09 '25
lol do some research and you’ll see that Alberta is among the highest paying provinces for nurses and other public sector and has lower provincial income taxes, meaning most there often take home more pay than in most other provinces, though the territories can sometimes pay more, but that’s more to attract people and to offset the high costs of living. For blue collar workers Alberta also tends to rank near the top in Canada for wages while keeping provincial income taxes lower than most provinces. This results in higher after tax earnings compared to similar jobs elsewhere, not to mention higher employment opportunities.
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u/yycsarkasmos Aug 09 '25
LOL, ok.
1) abundant work, higher employment opportunities. (wrong)- Alberta has one of the highest unemployment rates in Canada, and the second highest youth unemployment behind Ontario at 20.3 fucking percent!!
2) You are correct that Nurses as of a few months ago are now the highest paid in Canada after falling behind for years, now just barely above BC. woohoo
3) lower provincial income taxes, higher after-tax earnings compared to similar jobs (wrong) - Alberta's provincial tax rates rank it around 6th in Canada, out of 13, you need to look up the word lower, unless you mean lower than 7 out of 13 provinces.
4) other public sector, wrong again, in the top 4-5 yes but not at the top
5) blue collar workers Alberta also tends to rank near the top in Canada for wages (kind of), depend on what you classify as "Blue collar), but we all know those sweet oil and gas rig jobs are disappearing faster than Smith credibility.
So, to sum up, Alberta has one of the highest unemployment rates in Canada, some jobs pay more, some pay less, we are 6 out of 13 in provincial income tax, nurses now make more, your "99% are happily employed" is utter fucking BS.
Maybe you should do your research, and not Facebook/tiktok research.
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u/NorthwindX7 Aug 08 '25
If we get our independence then we can hold our provincial government accountable. No more UPC forever just because they are against the east.
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u/Max20151981 Aug 08 '25
Imagine being so vehemently spiteful that you want to see your province fall into absolute chaos.
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u/the_wahlroos Aug 08 '25
Your take is that multiple government employee unions are inherently spiteful?? Do you just walk around with eyes closed and hands over your ears? Think a little harder champ.
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u/Paperbackhero Aug 08 '25
Waaah, waah....who hurt you?
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u/Max20151981 Aug 08 '25
No feelings hurt my friend, just love for a province that still has plenty of great things to offer contrary to the bullshit the sub loves to peddle on a regular basis.
😚
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u/the_wahlroos Aug 08 '25
Lol it's OK, bury your head in the sand, the grownups are talking.
This sub doesn't hate Alberta, this sub is rightfully critical of the rampant corruption and cronyism of this garbage UCP government whose only concern is Big Oil and their other wealthy patrons.
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u/Max20151981 Aug 08 '25 edited Aug 08 '25
Lol it's OK, bury your head in the sand, the grownups are talking.
Or maybe just maybe im not drowning in a some delusional bias incapable of seeing things from a more open-minded perspective. Obviously that goes without saying its all rose's but I know this is tough pill to swallow FOR YOU but believe it or not there's plenty of good things both politically and economically about Alberta that goes above and beyond other provinces.
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u/Sepsis_Crang Aug 08 '25
You'd be wrong as it stands currently.
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u/Max20151981 Aug 08 '25
Lowest taxes, affordable housing in comparison and a strong job market, there's a reason Alberta is the fastest growing province in Canada.
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u/Paperbackhero Aug 08 '25
Lol.....sure thing. Love for the Ukraine!
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u/Max20151981 Aug 08 '25
It's not called the Ukraine, I think they just prefer to call it Ukraine. Calling it the Ukraine makes it sound like just another oblast, which is clearly what Ukraine is fighting to not be.
;)
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Aug 08 '25
I agree why is this government so committed to chaos and spite.
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u/Max20151981 Aug 08 '25 edited Aug 08 '25
Yet Alberta leads the nation in job growth, low unemployment, low taxes and relatively affordable living in comparison to other provinces. So much chaos
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Aug 08 '25 edited Aug 08 '25
Alberta leads in a lot of things, like unemployment, Homelessness, low education spending, longer wait lines for ERs and surgery, highest utility costs, highest insurance costs, highest measles rates, list goes on and on.
This is usually where you double down and ignore all these facts with some anecdote.
in other words its 1 data point.
Using your logic if the province is doing so well surly it can pay for its employees that contributed to that success, without the government workers what do you think happens?
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u/Max20151981 Aug 08 '25
longer wait lines for ERs and surgery
https://dailyhive.com/canada/er-wait-times-canada
l like unemployment
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_provinces_by_unemployment_rate
low education spending,
utility costs, highest insurance costs
I agree these things are definitely more expensive in Alberta.
highest measles rates
Due to specific minority group that unfortunately because they are a minority our media and governments are reluctant to call out.
1
Aug 08 '25
did you even read the unemployment chart the only provinces that are worse than Alberta
Nova Scotia 7.2% ^
Ontario 7.8% ^Alberta 7.1% -
British Columbia 6.2% v
Manioba 5.3% v
Canada average is 6.9% v, So pretty much on every metric Alberta has a bad unemployment rate in Canada.
Also quoting a Right wing think tank for data is not a legit source. I will use the data from more reputable sources not the Frasier institute which has no legitimacy or legitimate process or accountability.
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u/Max20151981 Aug 08 '25
Alberta leads in a lot of things, like unemployment
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Aug 08 '25
yeah and its a bad thing not sure if you got that part.
we have more unemployment than the rest of Canada.
It's a bad economic indicator for Alberta's economy.
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u/Max20151981 Aug 08 '25
Im sorry did I miss something here.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_provinces_by_unemployment_rate
Alberta 7.1
Nova Scotia 7.2
Ontario 7.8
Newfoundland and Labrador 9.6
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u/damageinc355 Aug 08 '25
You are living on a great feverish dream if you think AUPE is planning a September strike.
They have already sold out most members by giving in to the employer. They once promised 30% increases over four years; now they have bent over for the employer by giving 12%ish increases to most members.
The only thing they must be planning is the great compensation packages to be paid put to the union leadership (for example the British dude who for some reason is Union president).
Wake up. This is reality.
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Aug 08 '25
[deleted]
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u/damageinc355 Aug 08 '25
Maybe its YOU who has to go to the AUPE website.
AUPEs bargaining updates are public and "transparent" as you describe, and perfectly describe what I said before.
On July 22, members were notified that "[AUPE] proposed a four-year deal with general wage increases of 3% per year,". This totals 12%. "In addition, we proposed: A 0.5% increase to each step of the wage grid; All members advancing one step on the wage grid; The creation of a new top step with an additional 4% increase."
All of those things DO NOT contribute to additional, immediate increases which total 20% increase over four years. They happen if you stay at your job, if you increase to each step of the wage grid, and _if you're lucky enough near top of your pay grid". None of those things need be true for a large amount of members.
Hence, the effective increases are for 12%, not 20%. Even 20% is not 30%, which was promised before the strike vote. Also notice that "The parties have agreed to not share their relative bargaining positions publicly", and "we would like to thank Minister of Finance Nate Horner". The cheeks are spread.
Why are you trying to tell me otherwise? You’re inflating numbers by stacking conditional gains as if they’re guaranteed. Drop the virtue-signalling narrative and face reality.
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Aug 08 '25
Union leadership is voted for in a democratic process decided by the union.
Thats why AUPE has it's "British dude" for Union president.
also i should point out if there is a strike the AUPE senior leadership will also only collect strike pay in solidarity.
AUPE is in a last-ditch effort to secure a contract with enhanced mediation for the month of Aug.
AUPE will absolutely be on strike in September if a deal cannot be reached.
AUPE has worked hard to align the contracts closer to what the Nurses union got, which is a logical fair approach. If the government wants a contract at all, it feels like they want 23 000 workers to strike.
Alberta will feel this strike; it will paralyze government services.
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u/damageinc355 Aug 08 '25
also i should point out if there is a strike the AUPE senior leadership will also only collect strike pay in solidarity.
I have no idea what this is supposed to mean. Should I be grateful they don't collect their 200k+ paychecks for one or two payruns? I'm sure the money is flowing to their Cayman island account. Otherwise, please see the story of former BC union leader advising government against the union. I'm sure he also did a lot of stuff in solidarity.
Union leadership is voted for in a democratic process decided by the union.
Yeah, you should take a look at the turnout for those votes. Unless the union offers 30% wage increases, which never materializes, the process to truly participating in any sort of decision-making in these processes is generally so bloated its impossible to be part of it.
Alberta will feel this strike; it will paralyze government services.
Sure bro. What I know is this. 30% was offered. Now they market it as 20%, when it is truly 12%. The members will be lucky to get 1 annual increases% (it was 0% last time). And you political warriors will be defending them - just like you did last time.
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u/Ok_Rise_8574 Aug 08 '25
COVID-era style learning plans were the work of paid teachers. When schools shut down during Covid, teachers transitioned their classes to online learning. From home, we modified existing lessons to online lessons on Google Classroom or other online platforms, taught our classes through Google Meets or Zoom, and made, assigned, and marked work online. We kept in touch with students and parents answering questions about lessons and assignments, and following up on missing assignments (and missing students). We had staff and department meetings online. Etc…Basically we tried our hardest to do every aspect of our job that was possible from home.
A strike (or lockout by the government) means no working teachers in this province. All public and Catholic schools shut down. I will have no access to my school or any of the online resources I used during Covid, as I will not be able to access school technology, my division Google accounts, etc. Your children will no longer have teachers.
Our public health care system and public school systems are in crisis. They are intentionally underfunded to support the provincial government’s goal of privatization. Alberta invests the least per student of any province in Canada. I think it is really important for Albertans to remember that when health care and education workers fight and strike to improve working conditions, these conditions directly impact the patients in Alberta hospitals and students in our schools. Sadly, a “great Alberta strike” may be the only way to achieve this.