Teachers across Alberta have rejected a mediator’s collective agreement proposal, citing concerns over insufficient wages, large class sizes and a lack of student supports, raising the prospect of a provincewide strike.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association said it had pressed for substantially larger salary increases and significant enhancements, including limits on class sizes and reduced hours of work. These demands were not included in the proposed agreement.

Following the recommendation, the ATA held a ratification vote. In a record-setting turnout, 35,817 members cast votes online between May 2 and 5, out of the 44,183 eligible voters.

Of those, 61.99 per cent rejected the recommendation, while 37.57 per cent supported it.

The high participation rate reflects teachers’ significant concerns regarding the increasing complexity of Alberta classrooms and the failure of the recommendations to adequately address these concerns, according to the association.

“Alberta teachers are deeply committed to their work and to ensuring every student learns in strong, supportive conditions — conditions this government must urgently improve,” ATA president Jason Schilling said in a news release.

The proposed agreement followed months of negotiations and mediation that began in January, after the previous contract expired on Aug. 31, 2024. Following this, the mediator released a set of recommended terms for a settlement that was subject to ratification by both sides.

Though wage increases were on the table, many educators expressed concern that the deal failed to address chronic underfunding, rising classroom complexity and staffing shortages.

Teachers have now entered a 14-day cooling-off period, after which the ATA may apply to the Alberta Labour Relations Board for a strike authorization vote.

If members approve that motion, a formal strike vote would follow. Should teachers vote in favour, they would have 120 days to initiate job action — ranging from work-to-rule or cancelling extracurriculars to rotating strikes or a full walkout.

While negotiations remain technically open, tensions are rising across Alberta’s education system.

“Change is needed for students, for classrooms and for public education in Alberta,” Schilling said.

In a statement following release of the vote results, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said he was looking forward to “hearing from Alberta teachers about the next steps and how we can work together to find the best possible deal.”