Horner, ATA ramping up strike rhetoric

By Lethbridge Herald on September 16, 2025.

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Lethbridge Herald

Both sides in the provincial teachers strike fired shots across the bough on Tuesday as tensions over strike negotiations continue to rise.

Finance Minister Nate Horner issued a statement referring to a document provided to teachers across the province by the ATA, called “Talking Points.” He complained about false accusations towards TEBA in the document, leading to ta complaint made to the Alberta Labour Relations Board by TEBA.

“The document falsely claims that the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) does not have the mandate to ‘negotiate on important issues such as class complexity, class size, support for students,” reads the statement from Horner.  “There are also other statements in the document that are misleading and confusing for parents, teachers and most importantly our kids, who are explicitly targeted by these communications.” 

The document in question was shared with members of the media and it provides a roadmap for teachers on how to navigate the difficult subject with already anxious students and parents when asked questions about the bargaining process. Even encouraging teachers to keep their tone positive and their responses age and degree of understanding appropriate. 

One example of these is shown in the column of “My students have asked about bargaining and job action. What do I tell them?  

“Teachers are asking for help to make sure that classrooms are safe for every- one and that students have access to supports such as school counsellors.” While another response reads “Keep your tone positive. Don’t be critical of the government, your employer or individual people. Emphasize that teachers believe that students are essential and so should everyone else.” 

The document does in fact state that “The government has not provided the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) with the mandate to negotiate on important issues—such as class complexity, class size, supports for students and violence-free classrooms— in order to improve the learning environment for students and teachers.” Under the column about ‘What can teachers tell parents and community members about bargaining.” 

Jason Schilling, president of the Alberta Teachers Union, shot back at the accusations during a virtual media availability Monday afternoon, saying that government negotiators have consistently stated in bargaining that they lack the mandate, the money and political authority, to address both teachers concerns about classroom learning conditions and expectations for adequate compensation. 

“Teachers have said time and time again that they do not want to strike, however they must see improvements to their classrooms and their working conditions,” said Schilling. 

He accused the government of deliberately trying to sabotage bargaining as they had the ATA counterproposal in hand and instead of responding to that, they decided to walk away while attempting to undermine the ATA and its leadership. 

“Their latest objection? That teachers are sharing the truth about their working conditions. That teachers have been given accurate, factual talking points to help explain the issues at stake.”

The “Talking Points” document encourages teachers to share examples of the impact of cuts on the school environment while protecting the privacy of students and colleagues, and to talk about long waits and lack of access to other professional resources.Class sizes and complex learning environments, such as unsupported inclusion issues, an ever-increasing number of diverse learners and multigrade classrooms are also part of the talking points.

Horner says that everything in the document is being dealt with in negotiations. 

“To be clear, the only item outstanding between the ATA and TEBA for a new contract is the union’s additional salary demands.” 

Horner goes on to say in his statement that the information in the ATA document is inaccurate and it intentionally misinforms the public, parents and students. 

“TEBA has been left with no choice but to launch a legal challenge. The Alberta Labour Relations Board received our complaint today, asking the ATA and its president…to immediately retract their false claims and to stop using Alberta’s students and families for leverage in a bargaining dispute.”

Schilling responded that it’s not misconduct or misleading but simply the truth, transparency, and professionalism.

“Rather than sitting down at the table and working toward a solution, the government is wasting time on legal maneuvers and public smears,” said Schilling. 

Meanwhile, the clock continues to count down to the Oct. 6 strike date. 

“Let’s not lose sight of what’s really happening here: classrooms are bursting at the seams, teachers are overworked and overwhelmed, and our public education system is crumbling before our eyes,” said Schilling. “What we’re asking for is a solid foundation for a quality education system and a salary that reflects the demands that have been placed on teachers.”