Over 51,000 teachers in Alberta, Canada set to strike Oct. 6

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - More than 51,000 teachers in Alberta, Canada, are preparing to go on strike on Oct. 6 if they fail to reach a deal with the provincial government, according to local reports.

According to public broadcaster the CBC, the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) said the strike notice comes after lengthy negotiations broke down.

"We're ready to be at the table, and they've been invited to join us. But let me be clear, Oct. 6 is coming quickly. The choice is theirs, solve this dispute or face a provincewide teachers strike," Jason Schilling, the group’s head, told a news conference, warning that the education system is under heavy strain.

Saying that "students are being shortchanged and our teachers are being pushed to the brink," he stressed that "without bold, immediate and sustained intervention from the government, the situation will deteriorate further."

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she was "disappointed" by the decision, adding she believed the talks had been moving forward.

Smith said the province has offered a 12% salary increase spread across four years and pointed to a government plan to hire more teachers and education assistants.

Pointing instead to record-high classroom sizes, Schilling said. "We have teachers who are dealing with the largest classes that they've ever dealt with in their lives," adding that some students are forced to learn in non-classroom spaces such as hallways and libraries.

Alberta has not seen a province-wide teachers' strike since 2002, when roughly 20,000 educators walked off the job over similar concerns, the CBC reported.