It may be a simple misunderstanding, but it also may be a negotiating tactic.  Either way, the Alberta Teachers Association has issued a news release claiming Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools may be considering a lockout.  Less than a day after that release came out, Red Deer Catholic Schools issued its own release to clearly explain the situation to the public as they see it.

Here are the two releases:

From the Alberta Teachers Association

Teachers Worried about Red Deer Catholic Moving towards Lockout

Recent actions to sidestep the third-party independent mediator in Red Deer Catholic (RDCRS) teacher negotiations are a troubling sign of things to come. RDCRS board negotiators have taken the unusual step of asking the mediator to remove herself from bargaining even though two dates for mediation were already scheduled.

By asking the mediator to write out, the board has kicked off a two-week cooling off period that lapses on March 12, and opens the door to the board locking out teachers.

“Our desire has always been to reach an agreement without a disruption to schools. Fifty-eight of 61 school divisions have a deal, so we know an agreement is very much achievable if we just use those other settlements as a guide. We strongly believe the mediator will be helpful in getting the parties to a settlement.”

—Sara Lambert, president of Red Deer Catholic Local No 80

While teacher representatives have agreed to bargain on the scheduled mediation dates, they are worried that the board, absent the mediator, is planning to waste time and thwart a settlement. Bargaining will be held on March 7, but teachers have only agreed to continue meeting on March 8 if it is clear that the board is prepared to make meaningful progress on the first day.

“If the board intends to get down to the business of bargaining, we can get a deal done this week. That is what we want. However, if it looks like the board is wasting our time, playing games and ignoring the trend set across the rest of the province, there is no point continuing.”

—Sara Lambert, president of Red Deer Catholic Local No 80

Red Deer Catholic teachers are looking for a settlement that reflects the agreements reached in other jurisdictions, which includes improvements on issues related to substitute teachers and school administrators. The solutions being proposed are low cost and reasonable.

Collective bargaining for teachers in Alberta is a two-phase process where matters of significant cost and broad impact are negotiated at a central table, followed by local negotiations between individual school divisions and ATA bargaining units on other more locally specific matters.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association is the professional association of teachers in Alberta and acts as the bargaining agent for all teachers employed in public, separate and francophone school divisions. The Red Deer Catholic School Division employs approximately 700 contracted and substitute teachers in Catholic schools in Red Deer, Blackfalds, Sylvan Lake, Rocky Mountain House, Innisfail and Olds.

For immediate release – March 6, 2024

The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) announced, in a surprise media release late yesterday, that Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRS) is sidestepping “the third-party independent mediator … in teacher negotiations”.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

On February 26, 2024, in an email from the mediator to both the ATA and RDCRS, the mediator stated,

“Further to my phone calls with each of you on Friday, I understand that the Employer reviewed the “binary choice” in Sean’s email of February 15, 2024, and agreed the next step should be for the mediator to write out and let the cooling off period begin.  However, I understand the Employer is willing to meet with the ATA, without the mediator, on March 7 and 8, 2024 during the hours previously discussed (evening and day).”

The mediator further stated in that email correspondence,

 “I have decided to not issue recommended terms of settlement at this time as I feel the parties are too far apart in their current positions.  Attached is the letter confirming this decision”.

The email the mediator is referring to on February 15, 2024, came from the ATA chief negotiator, Sean Brown, in which he referred to a “binary choice” as follows,

“Given the results of the meeting and the sentiments shared by members, I believe the next step is a binary choice:

1. The employer bargaining team returns to the table and listens to its teachers.  Furthermore, that the employer be prepared to move on the items that members need. (Our preferred option), or

2. The mediator will need to write out and the two-week cooling off period will commence.

We hope to hear back that the employer will return to the table.  If not, then they will leave teachers with few options.”

Vice Chair Dorraine Lonsdale states, “RDCRS believes that factual reporting of events, activities, and matters pertinent to our local teacher negotiations with the ATA is now necessary for our communities to understand what is involved in these local teacher negotiations.  To this end, RDCRS has opened a section of our website to report to our communities on our local teacher negotiations.  Information will be shared on a regular basis as we continue to negotiate with the ATA.”

The bargaining team for RDCRS will attend the scheduled meetings on March 7 and 8, 2024 and bargain with the ATA to reach an agreement that is mutually acceptable to both parties.

“It is the intention of RDCRS to continue a principled and respectful approach while bargaining the local items tabled by both parties.  The school division highly values its teachers and in addition, we are responsible to students, parents, and our communities,” Vice Chair Lonsdale continues. “RDCRS has a duty to preserve our programs and services, to manage our complex education system and to be financially accountable for our decisions.  These three pillars extend also to our bargaining of collective agreements affecting our employees. RDCRS takes these responsibilities seriously, and these responsibilities always remain an important part of our considerations.”

The Division is committed to serving children and parents with a complete offering of learning opportunities delivered within the context of Catholic teachings and within the means of the Division.

Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools serves over 10,650 students in 21 schools in Red Deer, Sylvan Lake, Rocky Mountain House, Innisfail, Blackfalds and Olds. It also supports the learning of over 850 students in a Home Education Program. The Division is committed to serving children and parents with a complete offering of learning opportunities delivered within the context of Catholic teachings and within the means of the Division.