this post was submitted on 28 Oct 2025
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[–] SamuelRJankis@sh.itjust.works 42 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Bill 2 sets financial penalties of $500 per day for individuals who defy the back-to-work order and up to $500,000 for the union per day, if it doesn't comply with the legislation. The bill also suspends bargaining at local tables until 2028.

If the other unions back them like what happened in Ontario in 2022 when Ford did that same this could end quickly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keeping_Students_in_Class_Act#Repeal_and_aftermath

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yes. Alberta's unions should realise that this is the END of the union movement if they allow it to stand.

[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago

This power can be used against private sector unions too.

[–] JoshuaFalken@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If I were a teacher, the financially responsible option would be to leave teaching altogether.

What fine could be paid by a union with no members?

[–] LoveCanada@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Did you mean to leave teaching, or to leave the teacher's union?

[–] JoshuaFalken@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I meant to find another profession entirely.

Similar to when employees get fed up at a store and one day the place is closed with a sign in the window saying everyone left. The difference being the ease of replacing retail workers compared to replacing teachers.

There would incredible consequences if even a tenth of the teachers exited the purview of the ATA, let alone all of them. Unfortunately when Albertans continue voting for these overzealous politicians, any consequences are going to be strenuous and difficult to sympathize with.

[–] LoveCanada@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Interesting idea. But not very realistic. I know a lot of teachers (5 in my immediate family and I used to lead over 40 of them at my school) and they all chose the profession because they love kids and they see this profession as noble and building something for the future of the province. I highly doubt a single one of them would consider leaving over this dispute. They're very loyal to their students.

[–] JoshuaFalken@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Oh I agree, and I didn't mean it to come off as some realistic plan. I don't know any teachers that would leave the profession either. I'm not even suggesting that a significant amount of teachers would leave under the circumstances the ATA finds themselves.

I'm only saying that I would leave if pressed into these circumstances. 'Teaching' doesn't necessarily mean working at an elementary or secondary school. It would of course be an emotional transition to make, but loyalty to individual students - or even a specific school - and loyalty to the concept of imparting knowledge are different forms of loyalty.

Alberta has been successful in bringing more people - students among them - to live in the province. Unfortunately, not much has been done to prepare for an increasing population. Specific to teaching, this can be seen in classroom sizes ballooning out of control. Not only is compensation inadequate for the additional responsibility of handling more students, but now the quality of the education the students receive is diminished.

Even as a cog, I couldn't be loyal to a machine that permits this to happen when the solutions to these problems are so obvious.

I didn't mean for this to be so long, it just really bothers me when society treats teachers like third class citizens while also entrusting our children to their care.