Alberta teachers and their employers have reached a tentative agreement that could avert a strike in the province’s schools, according to a statement from Finance Minister Nate Horner.

The 51,000 public, Catholic and francophone school teachers belonging to the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) have threatened to walk off the job on Oct. 6 if a deal couldn’t be reached with their employers.

“If ratified, this deal will form the basis for labour stability in the province and will be a positive path forward for a successful school year for our kids,” Horner said in a statement Wednesday morning.

In a news release Wednesday morning, the ATA confirmed that teachers will vote on the tentative deal from Saturday until Monday. It will also hold information sessions for members on Thursday and Friday.

The association said the tentative agreement addresses salary and classroom complexity issues.

The government has not shared the details of the tentative agreement. 

“Out of respect for the ratification process, I won’t get into the specifics of the deal, but I will say the tentative agreement is strong on classroom investment,” Horner’s statement said.

In June, ATA members voted 95 per cent in favour of striking. The association says large classes with growing numbers of students with complex needs and inadequate help along with lagging pay are major issues.

It says the government has committed to hiring 3,000 additional teachers over the next three years to help reduce class sizes.

More to come…