WAGE DEAL TOO RICH

Many Albertans had been left with the impression that teachers accepted a wage freeze, but that’s not the case. Under the agreement their union has struck with the province, teachers have secured a so-called me-too clause, which would raise their wages by the same amount if other publicsector workers negotiate a contract bump in ongoing bargaining.

It’s a win for the teachers’ union, but it certainly isn’t for taxpayers. The Rachel Notley government has done a lot of talking about protecting front-line services during the economic downturn, but surely that doesn’t extend to wage increases for public-sector workers who are already generously compensated.

The teachers’ contract must still be approved by union members and school boards, but the insertion of the me-too clause is “not very usual,” according to Bob Barnetson, a professor of labour relations at Athabasca University.

“They don’t want to get screwed by signing early and have someone else negotiate a better deal,” Barnetson says of teachers.

The groups named in the me-too clause are the United Nurses of Alberta, the Health Sciences Association of Alberta and Alberta Union of Provincial Employees in government, support services and auxiliary nursing. It’s hard to imagine that at least one of the named groups won’t secure a wage increase from a labourfriendly NDP government, and therefore trigger a commensurate pay hike for teachers.

Many junior educators are still moving up the salary grid based on classification and years of experience, so they can count on a pay boost regardless of the outcome of talks with other public-sector unions.

The NDP appears to have been a poor negotiator, saddling Albertans with increasing costs and more red tape. The teachers’ union, for instance, has secured a new limit on assigned time, which restricts the number of hours teachers spend instructing students, attending meetings, supervising recess and other duties.

A memo to members by the Alberta Teachers’ Federation describes the cap on assigned time as a “big win.” Again, a big win for teachers, but not so much for ordinary Albertans.

Teachers have also secured a one-time, $75-million classroom improvement fund designed to improve working conditions and offer more help to students.

Albertans value their teachers and other public-sector workers. The public’s gratitude and respect don’t absolve the NDP of reaching deals that are fair to taxpayers, however. The government needs to embrace a sense of restraint — something sorely lacking in its agreement with teachers.