Premier Ed Stelmach said he is hopeful the escalating Alberta education workers wage dispute will be resolved but some Calgary education employees are still upset about what they call a “broken contract.”
The government imposed a wage settlement on teachers after a new formula was used to determine salary increases, which saw teacher-signed agreement increases drop from 5.99 per cent to 4.82 per cent, which is a difference of $23 million, according to the Alberta Teachers Association (ATA). Stelmach said he understands school boards are under pressure with employees but said the government is working with the ATA to reach an agreement.
“You know, I know it’s difficult I’m sure, for the school boards, but we’ll find a way out of this together with the teachers, the school boards and the government,” Stelmach said while in the city yesterday.
That doesn’t bode well with some teachers or teaching staff who are affected by the wage implementation, including one elementary teacher, who wished to withhold her name.
“A contract is a contract and it worries me it was broken and makes me question the entire process. This will have an impact on my pay,” the teacher said.
