Email throws stick into spokes of contract negotiations
Posted Mar 3, 2013 7:34 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Education Minister Jeff Johnson has taken a stern stance in the latest round of labour negotiations between the government and Alberta educators.
Johnson says, “Provincial negotiations are over, the incentives I offered are off the table.”
Tough talk from the Tories, who are digging their heels in during this round of contract negotiations with the provinces teachers.
Johnson is demanding a wage freeze over the next three years and offering a two per cent increase in wages during the fourth.
In the email sent Friday, to local school boards the minister simply states the province cannot afford to offer anything else.
The strong arming doesn’t sit well with the Alberta Teacher’s Association; a spokesman says the province is trying to interfere with a proven and tested bargaining process between the teachers union and government.
Negotiations appear to have stalled after the union rejected an offer made in late February.
According to the minister’s spokesman the province simply cannot afford to put anymore into salaries at this point.
The province is dealing with a massive budget deficit and have likely put pen to paper on the provinces budget which will be tabled march seventh.
