Government offers to pick up $2 billion tab for teachers’ pension fund if ATA and ASBA can achieve a deal for 10 years of labour peace
Government extends deadline for ATA/ASBA talks to June 30 – ASBA eager to continue the discussion
Release date: June 25, 2004
The president of the Alberta School Boards Association welcomed word today that the minister of learning had extended the deadline for talks between the ASBA and the Alberta Teachers’ Association aimed at getting 10 years of labour peace for Alberta students. The minister of learning has said his government might pick up the $2 billion tab for the teachers’ portion of the unfunded pension liability if the ATA and the ASBA can achieve a long-term agreement.
“The ASBA has an excellent proposal,” said ASBA President Michele Mulder. “This extension gives us five more days to convince the provincial ATA of the merits of this agreement for students, teachers and Albertans – we are going to give it our very best shot.” Dr. Lyle Oberg today extended his June 25 deadline to June 30 to give the ATA and ASBA more time to come to an agreement.
As of June 23, the ASBA proposal is for the following:
- a 10-year deal guaranteeing 10 years of labour peace
- give every Alberta teacher an average of about $2000 extra a year (after taxes) for the rest of their working lives because the government picks up the tab for the unfunded pension liability
- indexing teacher salaries
according to the Average Weekly Earnings for Alberta (AWE)
Year 1: 0 per cent because government picks up the pension payment
Year 2-10: salaries adjusted according to AWE which, over the past five years, has come in at between 1.29 and 3.09 per cent a year - school boards make class sizes smaller according to Learning Commission recommendations
- school boards honor existing collective agreements for the life of this 10-year deal
- school boards create venues where local teachers and the local board meet to air and resolve local concerns
For more information contact: Michele Mulder, ASBA President at 1.780.679.5627 (cell).
The Alberta School Boards Association serves and represents all Alberta’s public, separate and francophone school boards.
