Teachers in Alberta might on average be the highest paid in Canada, but that does not mean they're overpaid. If anything, it merely means that teachers throughout the rest of the country are underpaid.
Teachers in Alberta might on average be the highest paid in Canada, but that does not mean they're overpaid.
If anything, it merely means that teachers throughout the rest of the country are underpaid. It certainly does not mean Alberta teachers should have their salaries rolled back.
This doesn't even take into account that government school funding sometimes leaves a little to be desired — or a lot depending on who you talk to — and teachers find themselves spending out of their own pockets to provide supplies for their classrooms. In other words, it could be argued that teachers are often subsidizing the education system.
"I wouldn't know a teacher that isn't doing that to some degree. It's because they feel responsible to do the best they can for the kids in the classroom," said Trevor Sanche, ATA president for Chinook's Edge School Division Local No. 17, adding it's usually smaller expenses that add up over time.
And now the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation, in all its clairvoyant wisdom, seems to think teachers in Alberta should have their salaries rolled back.
"The notion that teachers in this province should take a pay cut is ludicrous," said ATA Mark Ramsankar in a press release.
Cherry-picking statistics, the federation in a press release mentioned only the average salary of top-paid teachers, which can reach about $99,000 and is the highest in the country.
"As the Alberta government inches closer to negotiations with the teachers' union, they should be seeking a wage rollback," said Paige MacPherson, CTF Alberta director.
But to reach such a high level of pay, a teacher has to work for at least 10 years and have attained a certain level of education.
And although teachers with many years of experience can reach top-level salaries on the grid as per Chinook's Edge's collective agreement, which anybody can see at any time on the ATA's website, a starting teacher in the division will earn anywhere from $55,000 to $57,000, said Sanche.
The ATA pointed out in its press release responding to the federation's announcement that teachers in Alberta work more than 50 hours a week. Most nine-to-five jobs are just that, nine to five. Teachers, however, are all too familiar with taking work home with them. Every week, they put in many additional hours preparing courses, correcting assignments and perhaps even volunteering with extracurricular school activities ranging from coaching sports to helping coordinate musical or drama productions.
Like anyone else, teachers want to make a living but their focus is on providing the best education possible for their students. As their negotiations with the provincial government approach, teachers are more interested in bargaining to improve classroom conditions rather than asking for salary increases, said Sanche.
"We know there's very little money in the province. We know people are losing their jobs, that people are hurting. When we go to the negotiation table, this is going to be a big part of the conversation."
