No progress in Parkland teacher-board negotiations

Members of the negotiating subcommittee of Parkland Teachers’ Local of The Alberta Teachers’ Association met with school trustee representatives this morning to try to advance progress toward a new collective agreement. At the request of the trustee representatives, the provincially appointed mediator was not present.

Parkland Teachers’ Local President Robert Twerdoclib said that proposals for settlement were exchanged at the meeting. According to Twerdoclib, the position put forward by teachers provided compromises to the recommendation for settlement as prepared by the mediator earlier in October. “Using the mediator’s recommendation as a basis, we believe that we put forward a fair and reasonable proposal upon which to base a settlement for the collective agreement,” Twerdoclib said.

The proposal tabled by trustee representatives sought a three-year term for an agreement; removed personal leave clauses; removed access to health spending accounts for teachers on extended disability leave and with part-time teaching assignments; and permitted the transfer of principals without their consent. The trustees also stated that they wished to delete a letter of intent that prevented the board from assigning supervision of extra‑curricular activities to teachers at will and without consultation.

“The position taken by the trustees just adds so many issues that keep an agreement out of reach,” Twerdoclib said. “Negotiations ended at 10:30 this morning with no progress. We are now carefully considering the remaining options available to us under provincial labour law.”

For further information, please contact Robert Twerdoclib at (780) 963-5898.