We are sharing a reminder regarding the current state of labour negotiations. 

As you are likely aware, in September the Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) issued a notice with intent to begin a strike on Monday October 6, 2025. Earlier this week members of the ATA rejected a tentative agreement. 

At this time there has been no agreement reached between ATA and TEBA. 

This means- ALL FORT MCMURRAY CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED TO STUDENTS BEGINNING MONDAY OCTOBER 6, 2025. 

We continue to pray for a timely resolution to this labour situation. We deeply value the dedication, expertise, and commitment of our teachers and all staff members. It is our hope a fair agreement that supports our students, staff, and families is reached as soon as possible. 

School Division Operations:

• Unless a new agreement is reached or strike action is otherwise averted, all Fort McMurray Catholic Schools will be closed to students beginning Monday October 6, 2025.
• All extracurricular activities will be postponed or cancelled.
• All Off Campus Programming (RAP) will be cancelled for the duration of a work stoppage.  
• We will regularly review Early Entry Program (EEP) fees as this process moves forward and will provide families with updates when appropriate.
• We will regularly review Yellow Bus fees as this process moves forward and will provide families with updates when appropriate.
• If applicable to your school- Parent/Teacher interviews will be postponed until further notice.
• Community rentals will continue (there may be some instances due to the availability of staff that cancellations may be required. As much notice as possible will be provided).
• Out of School Care (OSC) will remain open. Further information for previously registered families has been shared by the Program Manager.

Friendly Reminders:

• Please remind your child(ren) to bring home any personal items they may need from school today. This may include items such as medications kept at school, jackets, indoor shoes, or other belongings.

Please Note:

• With the commencement of a labour action (strike), teachers are participating in a full withdrawal of labour and will not be sending work packages home or updating their Google Classrooms. We thank families for their patience and support.

Government of Alberta Information:

• The Government of Alberta has announced supports for families during the closure of schools. This includes a Parent Payment Program specific for families with children 12 and under. 

Fort McMurray Catholic Schools will endeavour to provide timely, clear, and transparent information during this process. We will continue to share information by email, text message (if urgent), post on Edsby, and on our website. 

How does Bargaining Work?

• In Alberta, teacher bargaining takes place at two levels:
  • Central Bargaining (currently underway) occurs at the provincial level and addresses broad, province-wide matters, such as salary and general working conditions. This is the process that is occurring now. 
  • The parties involved at this stage include the ATA’s Central Table Bargaining Committee (CTBC) and the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA).
  • Bargaining at a local level occurs following the Central Bargaining process. 

To see our previous updates regarding this labour situation, including a FAQ section, please visit: https://www.fmcschools.ca/job-action-updates

We understand that labour uncertainty can be unsettling. We will continue to share timely updates via email and on our website as new information becomes available.
 

Fort McMurray Catholic Schools