Survey on Bill 2 (the Back-to-School Act)

On behalf of the President, Dr. Francine G. Smith, Ph.D.

Dear Colleagues,  

I am writing to share the results of the TUCFA survey on Bill 2, which was sent to members on November 13. I want to thank everyone who took the time to share their views on the provincial government’s decision to invoke Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the “notwithstanding clause”) and pass back-to-work legislation for Alberta’s teachers (Bill 2).  

The survey was sent to 2,584 members, and 714 members completed it (27.6% of the membership). Frequency distributions for each multiple-choice question in the survey were tabulated and are shown in the tables below.  

There was strong support for teachers’ efforts to defend their collective bargaining rights, and members were very concerned about the Alberta government’s use of the notwithstanding clause to override those rights. Members endorsed a variety of actions that would support teachers, and most agreed that it was important for TUCFA to publicly support the Alberta Teachers’ Association. Many of the survey comments aligned with these views, while also reflecting the diversity of perspectives among our members.   

Thanks again to everyone who participated in this survey. Sharing your views and opinions helps strengthen our union, and you can expect similar surveys in the New Year. I encourage you to reach out to the faculty association with any comments or questions ([email protected]).    

Question: How closely have you been following the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) strike and the government’s back-to-work legislation?

Question: To what extent do you support the Alberta teachers in their efforts to defend their collective bargaining rights?

Question: How concerned are you about the Alberta government’s use of the notwithstanding clause to override collective bargaining rights?

Question: What actions would you personally be willing to take in support of the teachers? (Select all that apply)

Question: How comfortable would you be participating in a coordinated day of action (e.g., a rally, informational picket, etc.)?

Question: How important is it to you that our association takes a public stance in support of the ATA?

Question: What actions do you want to see our association take in response to the Alberta government’s legislation? (Select all that apply)