The Alberta Teachers’ Association

PEC approves central and local lists

The province has established the membership structure of the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA), which will negotiate with the Alberta Teachers’ Association under the new bi-level bargaining model introduced in December.

According to reports, the first meeting of the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) representative committee was held on Wednesday, Feb. 24. At that meeting the board of directors for TEBA was established. The board will include eight government representatives and six representatives of Alberta school board trustees.

TEBA’s representative committee includes one trustee from each of Alberta’s 61 public, separate and francophone school boards in addition to the directors named by the government.

“As the education funder, it’s important the government play a prominent role on the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association,” said Education Minister David Eggen in a prepared statement. “We remain focused on a fair and affordable bargaining process that keeps our students and their education top of mind.”

More details about the powers, responsibilities, duties and functions of TEBA and its board of directors are set out in regulations related to the Public Education Collective Bargaining Act and TEBA’s bylaws. These items were also approved by cabinet at a meeting on Feb. 24.

Provincial Executive Council, at its meeting held Feb. 22 and 23, approved the Association’s position on the lists of matters proposed for central negotiations and for local negotiations. Those proposed lists will be released to members once they have been exchanged with TEBA and bargaining on them has commenced. Under the act, bargaining on the list of matters is scheduled to take place sometime between March 1 and April 30.

“We look forward to productive talks with this new bargaining body,” said Association president Mark Ramsankar.

In January, PEC established the Central Table Bargaining Committee, which will oversee central table negotiations on behalf of teachers. ❚