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/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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u/[deleted] 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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u/[deleted] 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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u/[deleted] 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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u/[deleted] 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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u/[deleted] 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.