Alberta teachers, province set to meet for first time since strike began last week

The union representing Alberta teachers and the provincial government's bargaining committee are set to meet today for the first time since a provincewide strike began Oct. 6.

The strike, entering its sixth day, has kept some 740,000 students across 2,500 schools out of classrooms.

Finance Minister Nate Horner said last week the province had received a new proposal from the Alberta Teachers' Association, which represents the 51,000 teachers.

Horner said the union's proposal was complex and the two sides wouldn't meet until after the long weekend to give the government's bargaining team time to review the deal.

Neither side has shared details about the new proposal, though the union has said it wants the province to commit to hiring more teachers than it promised before.

The last offer on the table, overwhelmingly rejected in a vote by teachers late last month, included a 12 per cent pay raise over four years and a promise to hire 3,000 more teachers to address class sizes.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson