Alberta school staff now getting layoff notices: CUPE
Posted Oct 9, 2025 7:01 am.
Last Updated Oct 9, 2025 3:59 pm.
Alberta teachers hit the streets on day four of their school strike.
It’s getting colder – and there is no strike pay – but teachers say their resolve is strong.
“I know a lot of people are not in great financial positions but this, for me, is a battle that is necessary to happen right now,” said public school teacher Karlee Hren.
“We are being asked to do more and more and more and our pay has not increased.”
Other school workers are starting to see layoff notices, according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
That includes 240 Catholic support staff in Lethbridge and 40 bus drivers in High Prairie.
CUPE worries those numbers will rise if the strike and lockout continue.
“That is bad for everybody if that happens,” said CUPE spokesperson Lou Arab. “So they, like everybody else in the province, really need our provincial UCP government to step up and recognize that it is not tenable to have the lowest education funding in the country.”
Edmonton Public Schools told CityNews Thursday they haven’t issued any layoff notices, and staff continue to work in their schools and central office.
In a statement, the education minister told CityNews: “Our direction is that school boards should work to find relevant employment opportunities and professional development for educational assistants. Funding to boards is maintained, however, final decisions rest with the school boards as the employer.”
Not good enough says the union that represents thousands of support workers.
“If they wanted to, they could be more forceful and more public in their orders to school divisions and tell them that they have to maintain employment. They’ve not done that.”
A potential bright spot for educators, parents and kids: following “exploratory discussions” last week, both the province and the Alberta Teachers’ Association have now agreed to the return to the bargaining table. That is scheduled to happen, with a mediator, on Tuesday.
–With files from Sean Amato in Edmonton
